Warning: This article contains content which may disturb some people.
A new music video by Rapper XXXTentacion is causing controversy for its graphic depictions of violence, including a child being lynched.
The rapper, who is currently in the New Zealand Top 40 with his track 'Jocelyn Flores', is shown performing the violent act himself on a stage in front of a watching crowd.
XXXTentacion's 'Look at Me' video also contains archival footage of real police violence, including the fatal shooting of Philando Castile in 2016. The death of Heather Heyer, who was killed while protesting the white supremacist rally Charlottesville, Virginia is depicted as well.
In another segment of the video, the rapper - real name Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy - performs while hanging from a tree himself.
LaShawnna Stanley, the 'Look at Me' video director, has defended the controversial lynching scene, in which the victim is white. She says society has become desensitised to seeing violence inflicted on black men, but the imagery of such violence being inflicted on a white child is shocking.
Reaction to the video online has been mixed. Some viewers believe the violent imagery is used to prove a point, while others are taking offence.
"When he hung the white boy I think he was trying to show it from a different perspective to show what would it be like if the roles were switched," says one YouTube commenter.
"The video is awful... I can't believe we are making people like this rich," says another.
The video has quickly racked up over 7 million times on Youtube in just a few days.
Newshub.
