French rapper probed over call to 'hang white people'

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - Paris prosecutors on Wednesday launched an inquiry into a French rap music video accused of being hate speech.

Rapper Nick Conrad’s video for “Hang white people,” first posted on YouTube on Sept. 17, depicts a white man being shot and tortured by the black rapper and an accomplice. He is forced to bite the pavement and is kicked in the head before being “hanged.”

The scenes are said to be a reference to a scene in the film American History X, where white neo-Nazis subject a black man to similar violence.

Part of the lyrics read: "I go into creches and kill white babies. Catch them quickly and hang their parents," with the chorus, "Hang the whities."

Although YouTube deleted the original video for violating its policy on hate speech, it remained available at other sites.

In a tweet, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb condemned the video’s "abject words and ignominious attacks," adding that his administration would work on getting the content taken offline.

The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism said in a statement that "the call for the racist killing ... is abject and incredibly violent."

"The freedom of creation, it is not the freedom to call to hang whites because of the color of their skin," stating that the anti-racism group has filed a complaint.