REM takes down Montreal rapper's English-language promo video
A rap video created by a Montreal musician promoting the REM was deleted because it did not meet the “digital publication criteria” of the company in charge of the transit system, CDPQ Infra.
Montreal musician Makendal St-Félix, known as Maky Lavender, created the short video, which was posted to the company’s TikTok account on Aug. 17.
Days later, CDPQ Infra deleted the video. St-Félix believes the fact that he was rapping in English played a role in the video being taken down.
The video was filmed during the public unveiling of a replica REM car last year. In it, St-Félix is seen in a REM jersey walking through the empty passenger aisle, rapping about the train and other braggadocios subjects.
He says it was deleted eight days later after some viewers posted comments about the video not being in French.
“I think they knew I was going to rap in English but I don’t think they knew people would react this much,” said St-Félix, who is bilingual.
“I think it was a TikTok thing, because before it was on TikTok, nobody reacted.”
CTV News asked CDPQ Infra if it took the video down because of language.
“After validation, the clip was removed from our newly launched TikTok platform because its content did not meet our digital publication criteria,” wrote the company in a statement.
“Our platforms highlight the different milestones of the project and are mostly in French.”
After being asked to clarify, the company said its content is “at least bilingual and mostly in French.”
St-Félix says he was disappointed by the company’s move to delete the video. It was especially disheartening, he says, after the pandemic put the live music industry on hold.
"It was so easy for them to pull the plug. It was so easy for them to be like, 'yeah we’ll just take it off -- don’t talk to the press'," he said. "They really hoped for that to happen. I don’t understand how it was so easy for them.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
'I'm not wealthy': Ontario senior shocked she owes $40,000 in capital gains after gifting land
An Ontario senior who wanted to help her daughter and grandson eventually own homes one day decided to give them two lots on her property as a gift—but she didn’t know it would eventually cost her tens of thousands of dollars.
Fewer immigrants could have economic impacts as Canadians age: RBC
High levels of immigration are helping blunt the economic impact of Canada's aging population even though it's worsened challenges with housing affordability, a report by RBC says.
Police arrest 19-year-old suspect after Montreal triple homicide
Police have made an arrest following a deadly street fight that ended with three people killed in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough last week.
How to save on food and drinks at your next sports game or concert
When Dianne Debarros and Tom Stitzel headed to a Toronto Blue Jays game last month, the couple figured dining at the Rogers Centre would not be cheap.
Video shows driver in Toronto frantically getting out of car being pushed by truck
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.