[View the story "Rap and rape in India" on Storify ]Rap and rape in India Online campaign says Indian rapper's lyrics promote violence against women. Storified by The Stream · Tue, Jan 01 2013 14:20:29
From the Change.org petition:
The nation is outraged at the ease with which rape happens, at the unnecessary death of a young woman whose entire life lay before her. We know that these rapes occur because in the India of today rape is acceptable to many men.Petition | GM of The Bristol Hotel Gurgaon India: Stop Honey Singh's Performance | Change.org
These pornographic lyrics are unacceptable and it is because of women hating sentiments like these that men think that it's fine to do what they did on that bus, that December night in Delhi.Petition | GM of The Bristol Hotel Gurgaon India: Stop Honey Singh's Performance | Change.org
Many on Twitter supported the boycott, while others thought it amounted to censorship of Honey Singh's music.
I sincerely hope that India does not go into hyper censorship drive. Don't like Honey Singh but then dont think u should gag him.abhijeet
.@aparatbar I'm against censorship. I'm not against a social boycott call--it's neither a ban nor a demand for state regulation. #HoneySinghNilanjana Roy
I can't believe ppl r shedding tears 4 #HoneySingh! Anyway the petition was a valid form of protest. ONE show got cancelled. It's not a BANKrishna Marathe
Lyrics don't cause rape. But they cause hate and validation of a sick misogynist mindset. They humiliate me as a person. #HoneySinghYashica Dutt
We don't believe that #music should legitimize violence against #women. STOP/Cancel #Honeysingh performing for... http://fb.me/5NRQY7zCCMusic Basti
Others, however, said targeting Honey Singh only served as a distraction to other root causes of rape in society.
Leave Honey Singh alone n concentrate on women's security n punishment 2 the rapists. Stop targeting artists and movie makers #honeysinghDj MOKKSHA
#HoneySingh is a distraction from the REAL issue: mass cultural misogyny in India + poor law & orderReem
Banning #HoneySingh WON'T stop rapes from happening. GOI needs to enforce strict laws. Dimaag hai ki raddi bhenchod? Don't you understand?ArunimaKaushikSharma
We are acting as if there has never ever been songs with sexist lyrics before #HoneySingh. Come on, peopleYew Eff El
Saying that #HoneySingh music induces misogynistic thoughts is akin to saying women who wear 'revealing clothes' invite rape #LogicKunal Mehra
Though the boycott appears to have been successful, it may have brought the rapper inadvertent fame. His latest music video has received over 1.3 million views since it was posted on December 27.
Whoever came up with the petition to ban Honey Singh did him a huge favor. One million views in 80 hrs http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/honey-singh-song-gets-over-1-million-views-in-80-hrs-575208.htmlSunil Shibad
Honey Singh song gets over 1 million views in 80 hrsA peppy Punjabi number by singers Jazzy B and Honey Singh has notched up over one million views online in just 80 hours.
