Hip-hop video causes riots in Sri Lanka

Last Monday, hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of the Maharaja Television offices in Colombo, injuring four workers and smashing many windows and cars. The incident is over hip-hop artist Akon’s latest music video “Sexy Bitch”, which depicts images of bikini–clad women dancing in front of a statue of Buddha, causing offense to the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese population. Akon, due to play a concert in Sri Lanka in April, has been refused entry into the country as a result of the uproar.

Ethiopian singer freed

Ethiopia’s popular singer, Teddy Afro, was freed from prison last Thursday after serving 18 months of a two-year sentence because of good behaviour. Teddy, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun, was found guilty of the killing of a homeless man in a hit-and-run incident in 2007 but denied driving the car. Opposition parties and supporters say Teddy had been jailed for his criticism to the government in some of his songs and hundreds protested outside the court during his trial. Read more here

Azerbaijanis in Eurovision probe

Forty-three Azerbaijani music fans who voted for neighbouring Armenia in this year’s Eurovision song contest have been detained and questioned about their “ethnic pride”. Azerbaijan’s national security ministry has allegedly spoken to each of the 43 Azerbaijani who voted for Armenian duo Inga and Anush, singing Jan Jan, rather than AySel and Arash’s Azerbaijani entry. Read more here

Smashed hits

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