Content from a Montreal rapper removed after being criticized for being in English

Soon Montrealers will be able to use the REM or a light rail system to get around. In partnership with the company in charge of the transit system, CDPQ Infra, Montreal rapper Maky Lavender was asked to do a 30 second promotional video about the new train system. What he didn’t expect was being at the centre of a language controversy.

“I really thought nothing of it,” Lavender says.

Lavender’s video shows him in a replica REM car in 2021 was shared on the company’s TikTok account on August 17th, but deleted days later after viewers criticized Lavender for rapping in English rather than French.

“They were so ready to, you know, remove it. Like, act like I never was there, you know,” says Lavender. The rapper added, “it just shows… the reluctance to just grow,” adding that French or English shouldn’t have been a factor.

Montreal rapper Maky Lavender. (Photo Credit: Maky Lavender)

Lavender says CDPQ Infra told him the video would be taken down and to not speak to the media about it.

“They said they didn’t want this to spark a language argument, which it did,”

CityNews contacted CDPQ Infra asking why the video was taken down to which they said,

“After validation, the clip was removed from our TikTok platform because its content did not meet our digital publication criteria as our platforms highlight the different milestones of the project and are at least bilingual.”

Montreal rapper Maky Lavender. (Photo Credit: Maky Lavender)

Lavender, a Montreal-born bilingual rapper says this experience is not unique, but rather one that many up-and-coming artists from Quebec feel.

“Not really knowing where you need to stand to just get a good look and a good chance of success, especially with music and rapping and how they portray themselves to the rest of the world.”

For now Lavender says he wants to take some time off from making music – he says he will be focused on farming for the days ahead to clear his mind.