Putin respects hip-hop

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin appeared at the Russian hip-hop contest "Battle for Respect", broadcast by Russian music channel Muz-TV.

Putin presented the awards in three categories: rap, break dance, and graffiti, saying that they are "even more attractive a combination than vodka, caviar and matryoshkas". Then he added that the show was made thanks to collaboration between Muz-TV and the government. But his most spectacular statement that evening was:

This is really is propaganda for a healthy lifestyle because it is a hard to imagine break dancing having anything to do with the drinking and dope.” He went on to say, “I must honestly say that those young people who are pursuing these kinds of arts in our country are bringing in their own Russian charm to them.

Noting Putin's discomfort during the show, Joshua Kucera wonders, how a US president would behave in such circumstances.