Tag: China

MAY 23, 2013 - Chinese musical-activist Ai Weiwei has released his new music video to his activist song "Dumbass" and strongly criticizes the Chinese government. In the video, Ai is jailed, hooded and is abused by the Chinese state power for speaking out politically similar to when he was jailed for 81 days for speaking out politically back in 2011. Naturally, China has blocked the video. The video is filled with heavy metal screeching guitars and obscenity screaming against the oppression in China that censors and punishes free speech. In a statement Ai Weiwei said, "People who are detained suffer traumas, and those who detain us know this very well. This is why we are secretly detained, blindfolded, cuffed, not allowed to meet with lawyers and relatives. I had been thinking about how to recover from the trauma. And I came up with the idea of using music to convey a sentiment that is tremendously secret, and private, to the public." Watch the video below.

FEB 17, 2013 - China has tightened its rules on concerts after Elton John dedicated his Beijing concert to Chinese activist Ai Weiwei. Elton John met with Ai Weiwei before the show and Tweeted, "I super like him!". But Chinese officials wrote an Op Ed on Global Times condemning him saying, "John's action will also make the relevant agencies further hesitate in future when they invite foreign artists. John himself is a senior entertainment figure, but has raised difficulties for future arts exchanges between China and other countries."

Read more about this on the UK Guardian website, and read the entire editorial on Global Times, and find out more about Ai WeiWei on his Wikipedia Bio page.  (photo credit: CC/Hafenbar)