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The Punjabi rapper has become the poster child of our nation’s ‘rape culture’ since the lyrics of his song ‘Balatkari’ shot to infamy. The controversial song may typically not have merited more than a snippet in city tabloids, if it weren’t for the Delhi gangrape in December 2012 which sparked outrage against societal license for violence against women. As memories of Nirbhaya began to fade, so did the ire against Honey Singh, who continued to enjoy immense popularity in Delhi farmhouses and Mumbai clubs (post 1 am, at least). But he is now back in the spotlight thanks to the Lungi Song in the soon-to-be released Chennai Express. Composer Vishal Dadlani is reportedly miffed with Shahrukh Khan and the Chennai Express team for including the rapper in the soundtrack. Dadlani’s problems – though he strenuously denied having any – have been attributed by sources in the know to his past objections to Yo Yo’s misogynistic lyrics. “It’s hilarious and pathetic, how desperately this tacky rape-rapper is trying to ride on the fame of @iamsrk and #Chennai Express. Poor guy,” tweeted Dadlani on June 26 (which is no longer available on Twitter) in response to Honey Singh’s statements about working in the movie. According to Mumbai Mirror, Dadlani soon realised that Yo Yo wasn’t trying to “ride on fame”: he was in fact going to be singing in the Lungi Song.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today slammed the Punjab government for not taking action against rapper Honey Singh for singing vulgar songs. 

The division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Jasbir Singh and Justice R K Jain ordered the Punjab government to take immediate action against the rapper for bringing disrepute to Indian culture.

Observing that heads hung in shame after hearing the rapper's songs, the Court also remarked that Honey Singh should be boycotted.

Earlier, a petition was filed by HELP, a NGO based in Punjab's Nawanshahr, in which it had sought the court's directions to the government to set up some effective mechanism for curbing the menace of obscene, vulgar and lewd songs.

The NGO had filed the PIL after a group of singers and musicians protested against alleged 'vulgar, lewd and indecent' lyrics used by some Punjabi singers who, they said, were 'a corrupting influence on Punjabi music'. 

At an earlier hearing the NGO had pointed out that despite a formal complaint, the Punjab government did not initiate any step in this regard.
                                                                                                                                   

A city angry over the gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapist forced Punjabi rapper Honey Singh, whose lyrics have been described as profane and misogynistic, in to calling off his New Year eve concert at a Gurgaon hotel on Monday. 

An online petition filed by Delhi-based writer and blogger Kalpana Misra was in circulation calling for the concert to be cancelled as the rapper’s lyrics, replete with sexual innuendoes, virtually glorify sexually brutalising women. An FIR was also registered against the rapper in Lucknow for “offensive lyrics”.

“I decided not to perform on New Year eve to express my grief for the unfortunate girl,” the rapper, born in Hoshiarpur in Punjab and brought up in the UK, told HT.

“Aap bolo to mein India Gate par chal kar abhi candle jalaun. Mujhe awam ne banaya hai aur mein unke saath hoon (If you want I can go light a candle at India Gate. People have made me and I’ll always be with them.)

His song Main Hun Balatkari (I am a rapist), which he now claims he hasn't sung, has come in for severe criticism.

The murder of the young woman, which outraged the Capital and the country with a many people opting for candlelight processions to New Year parties, has forced us to look inside — as individuals and society.                                                                                                                   

New Delhi, July 18 -- Punjabi rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh, who recently got a clean chit from the Chandigarh high court after he was accused of singing songs with offensive lyrics, says that he will rise against his haters and critics. "Unki toh main keh ke loonga (I will take their case in their face)," pledged Singh during a recent visit to HT House.

"Jin logon ki main itni izzat karta tha, jo mujhe bohut honest aur respectable lagte they, wo bhi mere khilaf they. Par main apni baat bata ke rahunga. Maine kuch galat nahi kiya hai," he said. The 29-year-old singer revealed that the last six months were the most difficult time of his life.

"Main emotionally kaafi toot chuka tha pichhle 6 mahino mein. Mere gharwale dare huye they. Jab yeh (16 December) gangrape case huya, mujhe kuch nai pata tha. Mere December 25 aur 31 ko shows they jinhe maine khud cancel kiya as I did not feel comfortable. The management even sued me for all the losses they incurred." Honey, who was also criticised for his songs by another Bollywood musician, Vishal Dadlani, on a TV show, said, "I really respect him a lot ... I think he has a good voice. As for this, he can say whatever he wants. I don't care."

His reaction was the same to cricketer Harbhajan Singh's video slamming Punjabi musicians. Honey said it's only his humble roots that inspire his music. "Jab main Punjab se Dilli aaya music banane toh maine dekha yahaan ke log bohut urban they. Ladkiyon ko bahot aazadi thi aur ladke body-building kar rahein they ... Delhi ki duniya bahot alag si lagi. Ladkiyan daaru pee rahin thi aur yeh dekh kar mujhe achhaa laga. Dekha ki English gaane bohut chalte they. Akon bohut chalta tha lekin line sabhi ek hi line gaate they, 'I wanna love you'. Toh maine socha main Punjabi-Hindi rapping karunga." Honey further revealed, "So, I thought of making a music album from the money that I had earned and saved for the last six years. I didn't have the support of big channels like MTV; I wanted to collaborate with Punjabi singers and the industry asked me to work with Sonu Nigam. But, I cut my own album and made the videos with my own money."