For obvious historical reasons, the German government likes to keep a close eye on purveyors of extremist language and exclusionary rhetoric, and watch lists have existed for years to monitor the activities of neo-Nazi skinheads and other hatemongers. But lately, Germany’s increasingly gangsta-oriented rappers have begun to land on these watch lists as well. “German gangsta rappers have made a strong showing on the charts… and shaken a society not used to hearing ghetto tales of death and revenge in its own language. German parents and the news media have expressed shock at hardcore lyrics, which, they say, glorify a dangerous American ghetto fantasy that doesn’t exist in Germany and shouldn’t be encouraged.”