WATCH: "Banned" Rap Music is Alive and Well in China in Police Safety Video

Chinese police officers are among the select people in China allowed to wield firearms (alongside sports shooters and specified minority group hunters). And, now that rap music has been effectively banned from all media just a few weeks ago, Chinese public security forces have once again managed to do what other can not.

The Lhasa train police recently released a 4-minute eight-second-long music video called "Safe Return Home" (平安回家) that features three police officers using rap lyrics to share travel safety tips.

Coinciding with the oncoming Spring Festival holiday, the video depicts the police officers in full uniform includes close-ups of their badges and guns.

True to the character of the genre, the "police rap" video contains numerous references in which the rappers are heard espousing their better qualities. The police officer says they offer "year-round service" to which their "sincerity will never go out of style."

Upon taking into account the bulk of the lyrics, the song depicts the Spring Festival travel rush as being fraught with peril. The officers urge listeners to never let down their guard during their travels and bring up numerous references to thieves, swindlers, and safeguarding their valuables.

Despite its part in a nationally-broadcast show and last year's topinternet meme, rap music and hip-hop culture was banned from appearing in Chinese media by state censor State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television last month.

The ban followed a sensational scandal in which Rap of China winner PG One (Wang Hao) was implicated in having an affair with married celebrity Jacqueline Li, also known as Li Xiaolu from Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl. Besides accusations of adultery, PG One also came under fire for bawdy lyrics that had appeared in his earlier work.

The Chinese ban on rap music is conditional aimed to prevent "immoral" rap artists from receiving national attention. Sina reported that the ban "specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip-hop culture, sub-culture, and dispirited culture."

Chinese rap music has faced crackdowns before. In 2015, China banned some 120 rap songs from its internet for promoting "obscenity, violence, insubordination, or immorality" that included titles like "Fart" and "Don't Want to Go to School".

In turn, some Chinese rap artists have adopted nationalistic themes in their work to avoid a crackdown. Rap group CD Rev attacks foreign journalists in their song "This is China" while Xie Di rails against foreign interlopers in his song "Wack Laowai".

Want to rap like a Chinese police officer? Here are the lyrics to "Safe Return Home":

(chorus) The police are here to offer year-round service, no matter the season
As its nearing Spring Festival, we worry for you, and so, sound the alarm
Passengers hurrying about on a train platform
Valuables should always in your possession
Seeing you travel home to your family's embrace with a wonderful disposition 
 would put a rainbow in my heart
We'll put a smile on your face and an unburdened
 feeling
We'll light the night sky for you
Be emotionally moved by your safe return home

When buying tickets, please don't corner yourself into an urgent situation
Purchasing tickets from approved channels is the safest method
Make a plan before departing
Avoid swindlers and delays, make your travels elegant uh
Don't reveal your valuables when purchasing tickets
Don't make it so you learn this after having lost money
Always protect your valuables
No need to rush before entering the station
No need to crowd or shout or worry
Don't be careless while waiting for the train, safeguard your valuables
Don't despair if you encounter difficulties
The police will help you, aid you
This sincerity will never go out of style
Don't crowd at the inspection point
keep your valuables inside your clothes
Don't give pickpockets any opportunities
No need to allow unnecessary worries

Don't let your guard down before the train departs
Avoid intentionally crowding with others
They just wouldn't understand
Keep your luggage within your line of sight
Keep your coat tightly fastened to avoid giving pickpockets any opportunity
Mid-way through the journey is a high-incident time for crimes
Guard your luggage, always keep in mind to never put your valuables upon the table
The slightest mistake may lead to thieves making off with your precious belongings
Try your best not to leave the train
Avoid close proximity with strangers
They will try to lure you with gambling games
by attracting your attention, they will steal your money and information before silently leaving
Don't be greedy for cheap gains
Tickets on the floor may look beautiful
but those are all traps just waiting for you
When danger occurs, don't listen to rumors and falsehoods
Call 110 and alert the police

The people's police reminds you
to rest before setting out
Thieves are constantly watching you
It is a taboo to fall asleep in the train waiting room
Travellers and friends, please raise your vigilence

More stories from this author here.

E-Mail: charlesliu1 (at) qq (dot) com
Twitter: @Sinopath

Photo: Miaopai