What's with the mullet? Wikileaks founder Julian Assange dons blond wig to film bizarre rap video in his Ecuadorean embassy refuge

Assange teams up with online comedians for election rap video

Dresses up in stereotypical Aussie gear as he croons soft rock classic

WikiLeaks boss is standing for the senate in next week's federal election



Julian Assange has been confined to the Ecuadorean embassy in London for more than a year - and it appears that he may be going slightly stir crazy.



The fugitive WikiLeaks founder has appeared a bizarre music video combining rap and soft rock to humorously push his party's candidates in the forthcoming Australian election.



The clip shows Assange dressed up as an 80s rocker and shot in soft-focus black and white as he delivers his political message to the tune of one of the country's biggest hits.

Scroll down to watch the video

Surreal: Julian Assange dressed up in stereotypical Australian clothing for an online music video

80s style: The WikiLeaks boss performs a parody cover version of You're the Voice by John Farnham

WikiLeaks hit the headlines once again last week, when Bradley Manning - now known as Chelsea - was jailed for 35 years for leaking U.S. government secrets to Assange.



But the website boss, who is wanted on rape claims in Sweden, showed a light-hearted demeanour in the music video which was posted on YouTube yesterday.

The clip was produced by Juice Rap News , an Australian duo who produce regular videos in which they comment on the news using comic rap lyrics.



Their latest offering deals with Australia's federal election, which takes place next week, comparing the poll battle to the medieval-themed TV show Game of Thrones .

Watch the full Juice Rap News video here

Candidate: The video was made to promote the WikiLeaks Party which was founded by Assange

The first few minutes of the video feature a merciless parody of the two principal election candidates, Labor's Kevin Rudd and the Liberal Tony Abbott, as well as former prime minister Julia Gillard.



The video's presenter seems unimpressed with the mainstream candidates - but at that point, the camera cuts to the Ecuadorean embassy in Knightsbridge, West London, where Assange has been staying since the Supreme Court ruled that he should be deported to Sweden to stand trial in June 2012.



The co-presenter refers to Assange's bid for the Australian senate, where he hopes to represent his own WikiLeaks Party, but suggests that the eccentric-looking fugitive 'needs a makeover' to appeal to 'all the Sheilas and blokes back home in Oz'.



The clip then skips to show Assange, dressed in an Australia sports top with a tie around his head decorated with the national flag.



He throws out stereotypical Aussie phrases such as 'Good on ya!' and 'Bloody oath!'



Interview: The segment of the video featuring Assange was filmed at the Ecuadorean embassy in London

Rivals: Assange croons out his tune in front of actors playing election candidates Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott

Then the video becomes even more surreal, as it segues into a parody of 1986 soft rock hit You're the Voice by John Farnham, one of Australia's best-known songs.



Assange is filmed from side-on in black and white as he croons while wearing a long blonde wig, while in the background there are clips from videos released in the past by WikiLeaks.



The political lyrics include: 'We've got to make things leak, so we can get much bolder - oh we're all wire-tapped now, we're all being fed lies.'



He sings, 'Not long till we get all the rats out,' as the actors playing Rudd, Abbott and Gillard appear behind him.



When he reaches the chorus, 'You're the light that the world's demanding,' Assange spins around and appears in a line with multiple versions of himself.



Highlights: The fugitive performs in front of images from videos released by WikiLeaks

Plea: The founder is campaigning for greater openness in government as well as peace

In the credits of the video, he is listed as 'Julian Assange as Julian Assange (really)' - but the 42-year-old runaway did not actually record his own vocals.



The WikiLeaks party is fielding just six candidates in the election on September 7, including Assange himself who is running for the senate in Victoria.



If elected, he would probably be unable to take his seat, as he cannot leave the embassy without being arrested by British police and deported to Sweden.

