A major retailer in Taiwan is assessing its sale of a cactus plush toy after the children's product was found to be singing a Polish rap song containing references to drugs and death.
The otherwise innocuous dancing toy is manufactured in China and also widely available on Amazon.
Concerns about the toy's suitability for children were first reported by Taiwan News. In an article on July 4, the website said a Polish mother had discovered the singing cactus during a recent shopping trip in the central city of Taichung.
The cactus toy is most notably among the items sold at Carrefour, a French multinational corporation with a large presence in Taiwan. The version sold by Carrefour sings three songs, reportedly including one by 32-year-old Polish rapper Cypis, titled "Gdzie jest biały węgorz?"
The X-rated lyrics include mentions of cocaine and appear to reference symptoms of withdrawal.
"The only thing in my head is five grams of cocaine," the opening line of the rap song reads, according to translations of the track available online.
In another, Cypis sings: "I think I'm gonna die if I don't snort something soon."
Carrefour's website lists the plush toy for a discounted price of 359 New Taiwan dollars ($12.80). It is currently out of stock.
A keyword search for the toy returned several results on online retailers. They included versions of the toy that stored 120 songs, among them "Happy Birthday."
A listing on Taiwan's eBay-style website, Ruten, said the toy also has a 15-second recording feature, while more than 200 drop shipping businesses offer the item on Amazon.
A spokesperson for Carrefour's Taipei headquarters told Newsweek the company was not aware of concerns surrounding the children's product.
All Carrefour products, including toys, are evaluated for safety before being listed, but the content produced by the cactus plush may have been missed, the retailer noted, adding that it would assess the product with its procurement office and offer a more detailed statement at a later stage.
The spokesperson said the toy could be pulled from shelves if found to be inappropriate for children.
According to Warsaw-based The First News, Cypis' management is considering legal action against the plush toy's manufacturer over unlawful use of its music.
"We knew nothing about this. It is a complete surprise for us," a spokesperson told the website on Monday. "If we manage to take any legal steps, they will draw the consequences related to the unlawful use of the work by Cypis."
"Certainly, the [toy] producer would not be allowed to use the song for this purpose," he added.
The rapper himself appears to be aware of the incident involving his 2015 song.
On Wednesday, his YouTube account commented under the song's music video, referencing the cactus and promoting his new album in the process.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
John Feng is Newsweek's contributing editor for Asia based in Taichung, Taiwan. His focus is on East Asian politics. He ... Read more
