“Gangnam Style” is currently the most watched YouTube video ever , and South Korean rapper PSY has reportedly raked in nearly $8,000,000 for the tongue-in-cheek viral hit. Though PSY appears to be part lovable loser and part humble star, his rap lyrics before the popularity of “Gangnam Style” were apparently extremely anti-American, with one line reading “Kill those f***ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives.”
This week, Twitter has been exploding with accusations against PSY , detailing an anti-American past that he has covered up since the popularity of “Gangnam Style.” Though PSY is scheduled to perform for the Obamas at the annual “Christmas in Washington” event later this month, just eight years ago, PSY was calling for the death of American soldiers, advocating the torture of American military personnel in Iraq and their families here at home.
HAPS , an English-language Korean magazine, says that PSY’s anti-American views have long been old-hat in Korea, but have only recently started making rounds in America. The lyrics to an anti-US track, performed live by PSY and other popular Korean singers in 2004, were translated two months ago on CNN’s iReport :
“Kill those f***ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives,
“Kill those f***ing Yankees who ordered them to torture,
“Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers,
“Kill them all slowly and painfully.”
Psy the anti-American protestor: Certainly not the same guy you saw on Ellen lexne.ws/f61 – @korealawtoday
— LXBN (@LXBN) December 6, 2012
TIL Psy has a very anti-American past he is trying to hide tinyurl.com/asrywrx
— Today I Learned (@TodayILearnd) December 5, 2012
Now before we all jump on the anti-PSY bandwagon and pour the “haterade” on “Gangnam Style” as we react to our feelings of self-righteous betrayal, remember that the Iraq war was deeply unpopular both abroad and here at home, and many celebrities vocally condemned it.
Of course, there is no excuse for advocating the killing of soldiers and their families, but are these really views that PSY holds, or are these compromises he made to make a name for himself?
We won’t know much until the mainstream media makes a bigger dent in this story and someone sits down with PSY to clarify these shocking views. Does he still hold them? Is he ashamed of them?
Until we know more, color us “skeptical.” What do you think? Is PSY an anti-American wolf in sheep’s clothing, or are these views he may have moved past? Sound off in the comments below!