NZ music video pulled from YouTube as censor process under way

Rapper Derty Sesh, aka Nathan King. Photo / Supplied

A music video depicting the stalking and killing of a woman has been removed from YouTube by its record label, at the same time the censor's office has begun a classification process at the request of the Department of Internal Affairs.

The video for rapper Derty Sesh's second single, Forever, has been pulled from YouTube by Move The Crowd Records.

Move the Crowd boss Kirk Harding could not be reached for comment this morning.

Two versions of the video had been made, with the extended online version showing the rapper, real name Nathan King, crouching over a bound woman before stabbing her and cutting out her organs.

It also featured shots of mutilated women's bodies and the rapper stalking a couple in a park.

The television version ended with a woman screaming as the hooded rapper appeared, whereas the online version depicted him assaulting her.

Anti-violence groups had called for the taxpayer-funded video to be banned from television over the weekend, with Rape Prevention Education director Kim McGregor describing it as depicting "extreme misogyny".

Chief censor Bill Hastings told NZPA the Department of Internal Affairs had submitted the video to the Office of Film and Literature Classification.

Interested parties, including Move the Crowd Records, Rape Prevention Education, the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards and the Department of Internal Affairs, were yesterday invited to make comments on the video.

They would be given two to three weeks to make comments before they were considered by the Censor's Office and classified.

Mr Hastings said he had seen the video but had no comment to make on it.

He was unaware the video had been pulled from YouTube.

"That's interesting. Maybe they'll tell us the reasons why in their submissions to us."

The television version of the clip was funded by NZ On Air, with added parts for the online version produced separately and funded by his record label, NZ on Air music manager Brendan Smyth told the Sunday Star Times.

The Move the Crowd blog, had invited members of the public who did not like the online version to complain to YouTube to have it censored and made available to people over the age of 18.

King told the Sunday News he had wanted the video to cause controversy.

"My whole thing is to push the limit ... People in the hip-hop community [are saying] this is the best New Zealand hip-hop video to date."

- NZPA