Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked his government to ‘take charge’ of Russia’s rap scene.

In response to the growing popularity of rap among Russia’s youth, Putin wants cultural ministers to find a way to control as opposed to ban the music.

The President sees drugs as the ‘most worrying pillar of rap’, and believes state control is an important way to overcome the problem.

This comes after a string of gig cancellations across Russia, including those of rapper Husky, who was subsequently arrested after performing on the roof of a car.

Husky, real name Dmitry Kuznetsov, was jailed for 12 days after violating after a controversial concert ban. His lyrics are known to be critical of Putin’s government.

Parallels have been drawn between the crackdown and state censorship in the Soviet era.