Canadian and British media have extensively reported on the brutal murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot dead in a village in his home state's Mansa district on Sunday, 29 May.
The murder comes a day after Punjab Police curtailed Moose Wala's security cover, along with that of 423 others, as part of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's crackdown on VIP culture.
CBC News, in an article titled, Famous Punjabi-language rapper Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead in India, wrote of Moose Wala: "He was famous worldwide, especially in the Punjabi diaspora, for his charged rap performances and slick music videos."
"Moose Wala's music touched on themes of violence, bravado, and machismo, particularly with respect to Punjabi men, and the state of affairs in his home state," the report added. It also said that he was "iconic in [the] Punjabi diaspora."
The Globe and Mail wrote that Moose Wala "found meteoric success" in Canada.
"In his brief but successful career, he gained millions of fans all over the world. Each of his videos has racked up tens of millions of views on YouTube."
A report by The Sun, a British tabloid newspaper, called Moose Wala's murder a "horror killing."
The report included the fact that "in 2021, he made history by becoming the first ever Indian artist to perform at the International Wireless Festival."
BBC News went with the headline, Sidhu Moose Wala: Murder of popular Indian singer sparks anger, and wrote extensively about the politics surrounding his killing.
On Moose Wala himself, the report read, "Moose Wala, known for his temperamental and edgy lyrics, was one of Punjab's biggest pop stars. He was also a controversial figure who had several brushes with the law."
The British television news channel Sky News, in its report of Moose Wala's murder, felt the need to use quotation marks while referring to him as a talented musician.
"The Indian Congress party and local media said the 'talented musician', who formally goes by the name Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, was murdered in the Mansa district of Punjab," the report read.
Moose Wala's murder found mention in newspapers in West Asia as well.
Gulf News went with the headline, From pop to politics: Sidhu Moose Wala’s tragic death, and wrote, "The popular Punjabi singer-actor-politician commanded a cult following that few could match, with fans stretching from Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan to Canadian rapper Drake."
As for American media, the Associated Press covered the news with the headline, Popular Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead at 28, calling Moose Wala "well known among the Indian and Punjabi diaspora in countries including the UK and Canada."
The same report also stated, "Moose Wala was a controversial figure, in part because of his lyrical style. In 2020, police charged him under India’s Arms Act for allegedly promoting gun culture in one of his songs."
The American monthly magazine Rolling Stone, in its headline, called Moose Wala a "breakout Indian rapper".
"Over thundering trap and drill beats often laced with samples of Punjabi music, Moose Wala rapped with a rich, soaring voice about gun violence, gangs, and his rags-to-riches story," the report added.
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