KUALA LUMPUR: Hip-hop maestro Johan Ishak or Joe Flizzow has some sound advice for artistes dabbling in politics.
It is better for them to be full-time politicians, and leave the entertainment industry to full-time entertainers.
In a recent tweet, Joe said: "To all artistes who want to be politicians, please leave showbiz to focus on your new career."
Joe also said that it would be strange to vote for his favourite artiste in people's choice entertainment awards such as the coming Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2022 (ABPBH 2022), only to vote for them again in the 15th general election (GE15), if they stand as candidates.
"I can't be voting for an artiste twice, in ABPBH 2022 and again in GE15. Artistes should choose one career or the other," said Joe.
Joe, 42, also said that while politicians should be full-time politicians and artistes should be full-time artistes, there was nothing wrong with artistes expressing strong views on issues that affected all Malaysians.
"At times, we must speak up on issues that affect all of us, such as the recent fiasco involving artistes who made statements that disrespected women," he said, referring to actor Fauzi Nawawi's description of a rape scene which involved his villainous character in the 2007 film Anak Halal.
Fauzi described the scene in the talk show Rumah No. 107, during an interview with its co-hosts Khir Rahman and Shuk Sahar.
All three actors, and the producer Astro Warna, have subsequently apologised for the unfortunate incident.