Congress may be fretting over Iran’s nuclear capabilities and its ability to put a stranglehold on the international oil market, and Iran doesn’t have much love for the U.S. either what with our economic sanctions and Great Satanism and the like. But at least our estranged governments share some common ground when it comes to hating on the rap music. But while Iran also feels that rappers, whether homegrown or American-born like “U.S. rapper ‘50 Cents,’” are contaminating young minds with “obscene” lyrics and “decadent” values, the country has gone a step further than Bobby Rush and crew and just banned hip-hop entirely. And Iranian rappers need to watch their back because the government is coming to get you.

“In coordination with the police, illegal studios producing this type of music will be sealed and the singers in this genre will be confronted,” he said.

Dashtgoli said a large number of illegal rap singers have been already identified.

The Islamic republic’s hardline officials have repeatedly complained about a “cultural invasion” by “decadent” western music which they believe diminishes Islamic values.

The culture ministry official expressed his frustration that rap artists were finding low-cost ways to publish their music on the Internet. “We should find a solution for this.”

We told you the democratic/D.I.Y. potential of the Internet was trouble. As with most conservative/repressive regimes, especially in a country where you need the goverment’s OK to hold any sort of concert or release your music for public consumption, hip-hop has flourished in Iran’s countercultural underground, but with the country “currently in the midst of its most severe moral crackdown in years, which has seen thousands of women warned for slack dressing, several bootleg music stores shut and “decadent” mixed-sex parties raided,” it’s unlikely that rap will earn the necessary nod from the ministry of culture any time soon. But hey, they’re that much closer to approving that Chris de Burgh concerrt!

Iran Cracks Down On “Obscene” Rap Music [AFP]