Nepalese rapper VTEN recounted his 2019 arrest and censorship in Nepal in the latest episode of VICE Asia’s Censored series.
“They considered me a thug,” says VTEN, referring to the local police following his detention for “allegedly promoting ‘anti-social’ values,” according to The Kathmandu Post. There were two charges. “The police took offense at me dressing in their uniform and rolling a spliff,” he said. The rapper explained that he wore the uniform for a music video and that he was rolling tobacco from cigarettes, not weed. The second one, he shared, was for song lyrics.
He also described how the police arrested him in his home in October 2019. “They were trying to trespass into my house… It was similar to kidnapping,” he said. He also revealed that he was asked to provide his email login and then “forcefully” told him to delete it, which he did. Later on, he asked for help via Instagram and was eventually released.
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As one of the most prominent hip hop artists in Nepal, VTEN’s music has come under scrutiny from the police. His 2019 track, “Yestai Ta Ho Ni Bro” (loosely translated to ‘This is how we roll’), is no longer available online after the Nepalese police “demanded that the song be taken off YouTube for its profane lyrics.” This led to his arrest, citing “using vulgar languages in his song, which is unacceptable for our society,” Sahakul Thapa, a senior police officer, said.
On the matter of censorship and getting his music taken off, VTEN said, “Of course I get bothered. I get frustrated when I think about it.” While he acknowledges that he can be abrasive and “a bit unruly” when writing his lyrics, he hopes that those who listen can be “more open.” However, he maintains, “I wouldn’t go as far as to kill my soul just so such controversies don’t occur.
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Watch in full via VICE Asia below:
