"First, you find a house and scope it out. Find a Chinese neighborhood 'cause they don't believe in bank accounts." The lyrics from African-American rapper YG's song "Meet the Flockers" has outraged the Chinese community across the U.S. in recent weeks. The community has signed a petition to the White House, asking for a ban on the controversial song.
Since the petition's launch on Sept 21, about 38,000 people have signed it through "We the People," a section on the White House website for petitions. The government will have to respond within 30 days if the petition obtains 100,000 signatures.
First released by hip hop artist YG in his 2014 album My Krazy life, the song provides a how-to for those who attempt to break into homes and rob a specific ethnic group - Chinese Americans. It has caused uproar among Chinese community in the U.S. after an actual burglary, targeting a Chinese-American family, took place in Georgia earlier this month.
It was also reported that some Chinese American business owners visited the FBI and U.S. attorneys to get the video taken down. However, they were told the first amendment of American the constitution defends the rights of the video producers.
Anger among Chinese netizens
The hip-hop song did not gain much attention until it provoked the ire weibo users who criticized the song on Sina Weibo, China's answer to Twitter. The anger has also been widely covered in Chinese media.
"Without justice, you will never know which group is the next target after Chinese Americans," one comment from "Dongtuqingongzi" on Sina Weibo said. Another netizen named "Guyunzhishang" wrote: "No silence should be allowed."
YG yet to respond
Keenon Daequan Ray Jackson, or better known as YG, is a former burglar, and is open about his criminal past. As such, many of his songs are associated with criminal activity.
As of now, YG has yet to respond publicly except his tweet on Sept 22, asking" What they saying about me on fox11 news?"
