Around April 23, 2022, a rap song criticizing the Shanghai lockdown circulated online. While the song ends with the lines:
"This song is criticizing Russia for invading Ukraine... and the U.S. for invading Afghanistan,"
the lyrics themselves appear to be an implicit critique of Shanghai’s lockdown policies.
The original video is no longer accessible, and the artist’s name remains unknown.
Transcribed lyrics:
Some people cried out, just wanting to eat,
But they got locked up, jailed for days.
Some suffered from terminal illness,
Dying outside hospital doors—
They weren’t allowed in just because they didn’t take a PCR test.
The rule-makers are all well-educated,
But that doesn’t mean they have an ounce of humanity.
They don’t care whether you live or die,
They only care about GDP and their political achievements.
Put on a white hazmat suit, and you can use violence,
The street committees can strip citizens of their rights.
You’re not allowed to question their lies,
If you have even a bit of logic, they’ll call you a U.S. sympathizer.
We dare not be angry, we are just the people at the bottom.
They will retaliate with violence and "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."
We dare not be angry, we are merely bullied.
The legal system here is like a children’s storybook.
This song is criticizing Russia for invading Ukraine.
This song is criticizing the U.S. for invading Afghanistan.
This song is criticizing Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
The mainland is prosperous, and millions have never starved.