In a Public statement, Ekaterina Mizulina, who leads the Veterans of Russia movement and the Safe Internet Union, urged that videos and songs by rapper Slimus, born Vadim Motylev, be examined for drug propaganda. Motylev told socialbites.ca that a linguistic review of his tracks is underway, following the postponement of a concert in Yekaterinburg. He noted that he had not referenced banned substances in his lyrics for an extended period, yet he would refuse to perform pieces found to violate guidelines.
He explained that the language check on the tracks forced the concert to be moved to a new date. If any issues persist, the event will not proceed. He asserted that he does not promote drugs and has not mentioned them in his writings for a long time. If there were references, they described negative experiences, not endorsements, he added.
Motylev also addressed how activists have reinterpreted his remarks about poor weather in Moscow, arguing that the rapper spoke negatively about the country in that context. He described the situation as a tactic of cheap self-promotion and a misrepresentation of his overall stance.
He said that interview excerpts were removed, including comments about six months of bad weather in Moscow marked by slush, dirt, and a lack of sun. Opponents are allegedly twisting his words to portray him as criticizing the entire nation, labeling the country as dirty. Motylev called this a simple attempt at self-promotion and asserted his duty as a taxpayer who spends a substantial share of his earnings in his homeland. He emphasized that every citizen of the Russian Federation has the right to their own opinion.
On June 13, Mizulina, who heads a federation-friendly safety initiative, announced on her Telegram channel that she had appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General to review Motylev’s work. She accused the rapper of drug propaganda, insulting the sentiments of believers, discrediting the army, and supporting actions that she described as terrorist in nature linked to political tensions. Mizulina shared a video message from the musician opposing the government and attached a screenshot of a 2020 lyric that she claimed suggested allowing a track to reach Ukraine. These actions are part of a broader scrutiny that has sparked debate about artistic expression and national loyalty in the present climate. [Source: Socialmedia outlets and official statements]
The initial consequences of these developments included the postponement of Slimus’s planned performance in Yekaterinburg on June 15. The artist is slated to visit Nizhny Novgorod and St. Petersburg within the month, with appearances in St. Petersburg, and in Moscow and Kaliningrad scheduled for August. The shift mirrors ongoing tensions between artist activism and state-aligned safety campaigns in the public sphere.
Meanwhile, the Veterans of Russia movement issued a formal request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to examine Motylev’s body of work. Activists also expressed interest in monitoring Motylev’s associate, rapper Guf, whose real name is Alexey Dolmatov. In related developments, Slimus and Osobov previously removed a clip involving a priest after complaints from believers, underscoring how public reception and official oversight intersect in contemporary music culture.