This text is rapped by Dutch rapper Jordy Linton Samuel, known by his stage name Jordymone9, on 101Barz – a BNNVARA program on YouTube. While he raps the above lines in the first two minutes of his 'Winter Session'¹ over a hard beat, he wears a police uniform and a balaclava.

In his lyrics, he expresses his trust in firearms and his intention to take revenge on someone who "stabbed him in the back." He also discusses the possibility that a family member stole drugs or money. While expressing such things is not illegal, doing so on a BNNVARA channel—a broadcaster within the Dutch public broadcasting system (NPO)—while wearing a balaclava and a police uniform is, at the very least, remarkable.

Because I had doubts about the legality of using the police uniform, I contacted the police on June 4th. The coordinator of the communication team of the Central Netherlands Police Unit informed me that a notification declaration was issued on January 15, 2021, for the use of the operational police uniform in this media production. The rapper’s manager submitted the following text with the application: "Many young people in Amsterdam have a limited view of what they can become in the future. Or even more strongly, they have an aversion to working. What is frequently mentioned in Southeast Amsterdam is that young people want to become artists, professional footballers, or simply millionaires, but upon further questioning, it turns out that the strong willingness to work for this is often lacking. Through images and sounds that appeal to the younger target audience, we wish to build a bridge between young people and work. In this segment, which lasts approximately 5 to 10 minutes, young people see various professions within the framework of 101 Barz, such as someone who provides a platform for talent, police, a delivery person, or a self-employed professional." The police state that the description in the permission request does not correspond to how the uniform was actually used. On June 23, they initiated an internal procedure through legal affairs to revoke the notification declaration because it was requested under false pretences. To date, this has had no effect; the video remains online without changes.

The aforementioned rap session is one of many in which the rappers wear face-covering clothing.

Since November 9, 2018, a Kijkwijzer rating has been displayed at the beginning of the studio sessions. Through June 26, 2026, the rating for every video has been "All ages" and "Coarse language". This rating was also shown, for example, in a video² in which the following lines are spoken by Stijn Kosterman, known by his stage name Steen:

In my nose there's powder, powder
Red Bull and an ashtray
You do skincare, I do cancer
Fucking mothers is fun, and fuck your mother to get her pregnant
I give your kids this shit
It's shit, shit
You give your kids food and drink that gives you cancer
I have nothing in my ass
I draw my dick on your deal
A loser is what your wife sees
Cancer Steen, infected, burn down the tent
You make fag tunes for the money, right
Kick your skull until it splits
I cut your brakes, I hope you hit a barrier
Lick your wife's cake and spray whipped cream on it
Through my headphones I hear cancer-hard ear AIDS
Ear AIDS, ear AIDS, for your music you need AIDS inhibitors
As if a seropositive fucked your ear canal and came on your eardrum

Take a knife, stab it straight into your skull, fool

It seemed to me like an inappropriate rating. The above texts are unmistakably unsuitable for children. I asked NICAM to review the video and make a judgment. They did so promptly. They concluded that a re-evaluation should take place by BNNVARA. BNNVARA subsequently did this at NICAM's request. The new rating is "14 years", "violence", and "coarse language". However, the new rating is currently not displayed with the video because BNNVARA is trying to prevent the video from having to be taken offline and re-uploaded. They have blurred the old rating. I then asked NICAM whether an agreement had been made with BNNVARA that they would now proactively and retroactively re-evaluate the already published videos and provide them with the correct rating. NICAM responded that all other videos also have BNNVARA's attention and that NICAM will continue to monitor it. 

The rap sessions published by 101Barz after June 26, 2026 have the Kijkwijzer rating "16 years" and "coarse language". All rap sessions (except for the aforementioned rap session where the classification is blurred) published between November 9, 2018 and June 26, 2026 still have the rating "All ages", from which it can logically be assumed that this is incorrect for the majority. Given that the videos after June 26 have the Kijkwijzer rating "16 years", we can assume that at least some of the videos between November 9, 2018 and June 26, 2026 should also have had that rating. Article 151e of the Penal Code reads as follows: "Anyone who provides, offers, or displays to a person under the age of sixteen a visual depiction as referred to in Article 239, third paragraph, or an object whose display is considered harmful to persons under the age of sixteen, shall be punished with imprisonment of at most one year or a fine of the fourth category." It can be very plausibly argued that there is currently a violation of Article 151e at 101Barz.

In BNNVARA's social annual report, they describe their social role and mission as follows: "BNNVARA is an independent, idealistic media organization that advocates for an open, equal, and just society. BNNVARA envisions a world with equal opportunities for everyone. A sustainable, inclusive society in which everyone shares in prosperity and joy, with curiosity about others and mutual understanding. BNNVARA is a movement of media makers with a clear, progressive profile that makes a significant contribution to equal opportunity." Below are some statements made in the videos of 101Barz, in order to assess whether the channel fits within BNNVARA's social role and mission.

I have transcribed the statements as I understood them. Sometimes it is inaudible or street language I am unfamiliar with. There may be minor errors in the texts below, but the meaning and content are clear.

Misogyny (calling women bitch, broad, piggy, and whore, talking about them as property), slurs against homosexuals (faggot, batty boy), glorification of violence and crime (gunshot wounds, carrying stilettos, aiming at heads, burning cars, boxing people in while driving, wanting to work with Jos Leijdekkers), drug use (laughing gas balloons, using and selling cocaine), tips on avoiding prosecution by the Public Prosecution Service (wearing balaclavas), and family honour (keeping an eye on your sister to prevent her from having sex with someone). Everything is covered. None of this comes close to the values of BNNVARA or Dutch society.

Since November 9, 2018, a disclaimer has been displayed at the start of 101Barz rap sessions. The disclaimer reads: "The artists in the studio sessions use their cultural expression and artistic freedom during recordings. The artists' lyrics are uncensored and thus provide insight into their worldview. The artist's opinion is not the opinion of BNNVARA and 101Barz. The texts and/or images may be experienced as shocking by some." In this disclaimer, BNNVARA acknowledges that the texts and/or images can be experienced as shocking. This makes it particularly egregious that no YouTube age restriction has been applied to any video and that all videos display the Kijkwijzer rating "All ages". Furthermore, the rappers do not merely provide insight into their worldview. That worldview sometimes becomes reality, as in the case of the stabbing in Scheveningen where the 19-year-old Cennethson Janga (known as Chuchu) died.¹¹ After the stabbing, 101Barz removed at least 2 videos of drill rap groups involved in the incident.¹² Additionally, 101Barz conducted an interview with Mohamed Sylla (known by his stage name MHD), who was involved in a murder two years later.¹³ The article remains online unchanged on BNNVARA's website despite the conviction.¹⁴ Danzel Joël Silos (known by his stage name Bigidagoe) has been a guest multiple times on 101Barz rap sessions. He was once arrested for kidnapping.¹⁵ The Public Prosecution Service demanded 4 years in prison against him.¹⁶ He was shot twice, with the second time being fatal.^17/18 Two videos are still online.^19/20 One video appears to have been removed by 101Barz, after which a viewer re-uploaded it.²¹ Joel Eltus Hoop (known by the artist name JoeyAK) was convicted of kidnapping a woman and two young children, after which he assaulted and robbed the woman.²² He has been a guest multiple times at 101Barz. Several of his rap sessions are still online.^23/24/25 Finally, 101Barz provided a platform to Delano Geerman (known by the artist name Demper), who later shot Peter R. de Vries.²⁶

To gain insight into the channel's audience, I asked BNNVARA to share the data on age distribution from the YouTube dashboard. Below are the shared data.

The spokesperson for BNNVARA shared important additional information: "It is important to add a caveat to these figures. The age data is based on the demographic information that YouTube provides for users who are logged into Google/YouTube. YouTube does not disclose what proportion of all viewers this concerns. Therefore, these figures probably provide a reasonable indication of the audience composition, but they do not constitute a complete or exact representation of all viewers of the channel. In particular, the youngest age groups may be underrepresented, for example, because they more often watch without being logged in or use an account of a parent or guardian."

The following Instagram video of the channel's presenter, Angelo Diop (referred to as Rotjoch in the program), shows that 101Barz is aware there are many underage viewers. In the video, the presenter addresses underage viewers with 'motherfuckers'. Incidentally, Angelo Diop has received a royal distinction for his work for 101Barz.²⁷ He received this for 'his contribution to Dutch society' and 'the coaching and guiding of young hip-hop talent and the support he provides to young people who are struggling in society'.

I would like to refer to a conversation that took place on Buitenhof on May 31, 2026 with Minister David van Weel.²⁸ The statements by Minister van Weel are underlined.

"There are neighbourhoods in the Netherlands where I walk; they are not no-go areas, not at all. You can still walk around there just fine. But you do feel that there is a completely alternative economy. That social housing is being abused on a large scale. That people grow up there who see that the drug dealer, while living in social housing, knows he's the neighbourhood drug dealer and cannot be caught, and meanwhile drives through the neighbourhood in a gold Tesla. If you grow up there, you have a different expectation of life than in other places.

So in the report, you essentially also say, yes, stronger social structures are actually desirable.

Certainly.

That is indeed a remarkable message for a VVD member who is generally not in favour of a larger government.

Well, it's not about a larger government for me, but it is about social cohesion and punishing the abuse of our system.

So it's not just about the fight against drugs or the fight against criminals, but also perhaps about making it less attractive.

Yes."

Following these statements, I sought contact with the spokesperson for Minister van Weel, who handles the approach to organized and subversive crime. I presented the following three observations:

- The public broadcaster, and thereby in the eyes of many, the government, not only allows the glorification of violence and bragging about earnings from criminal activities: they proactively give it a platform. This normalizes crime and violence.

- The rappers, who will be role models for some viewers, regularly share information about their criminal behaviour but walk around freely. This gives the impression that there are no consequences for choosing the path of crime.

- The police are being ridiculed. BNNVARA (confirmed by the police) obtained a permission declaration under false pretences for the use of an operational police uniform. Subsequently, this uniform was used to rap about firearms while wearing a balaclava. This video with 6 million views is currently still online on BNNVARA's channel. It is known that a certain group of young people have contempt for the police; this doesn't help with that.

Subsequently, I posed the following question: Minister van Weel, in light of the above matters, I wonder if the government is shooting itself in the foot. Shouldn't we reduce the appeal of organized crime for youth by stopping the public broadcaster from actively promoting the profitability and impunity of criminal activities?
 

The spokesperson has only responded that they advise to direct the question to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science because they handle the public broadcaster. This response shows that the Ministry of Justice and Security has a blind spot regarding the role of media in influencing youth. Minister van Weel has the opportunity to bring this topic up in the Council of Ministers with his colleagues. His objectives are being actively undermined by another branch of government.

All parties involved are failing.

BNNVARA publishes media productions that reach a large, young audience, with incorrect Kijkwijzer ratings assigned and displayed. In these videos, violence and choosing a criminal path are consistently glorified and normalized. There are no YouTube age restrictions, despite knowing that minors are watching. The legally protected police uniform is used under false pretences. And the lyrics in the videos consistently do not align with BNNVARA’s goals as outlined in their policy plan and social mission. Artistic freedom cannot be used as an excuse here. This is not about a one-time artistic production or documentary where BNNVARA wants to show viewers the worldview of a particular part of society. This involves regular publications for 20 years, with a total of over 1 billion views, where a large portion of the audience is young and impressionable.

NICAM has the legal task to monitor the application of Kijkwijzer ratings, which also applies to online productions with more than 500,000 subscribers. It appears that NICAM has not checked even once whether 101Barz correctly assigns and displays the rating for all studio sessions between November 9, 2018 and June 26, 2026. This concerns videos with a total of tens of millions of views that are massively viewed by minors.

The police appear not to have checked in the case of Jordy Linton Samuel's rap session whether the description in the notification declaration matches the final production. And after it became known that it was requested under false pretences, they have to date made insufficient effort to revoke the notification declaration. Millions of people have seen how, on a channel of the public broadcaster, the police are being ridiculed. It is plausible that this has contributed to the growth of contempt that a certain part of society has for the police.

Minister David van Weel publicly states that he wants to work on making crime less attractive. At a time when numerous videos on a public broadcaster’s channel feature people confessing to criminal activities, and this unfiltered content reaches minors, and he does not engage in dialogue with the responsible organizations, it cannot be said that he is actually trying to achieve these goals.

The management of the channel's presenter (Angelo Diop) was asked in writing for a response on July 1st. I have not received a response.

NICAM has invited me to visit the office to see exactly how the systems work. Unfortunately, I was not able to accept the invitation because I do not live in the Netherlands.

After my publication, de Telegraaf, Hart van Nederland, Puna.nl, FunX, Nieuws van de Dag, YouTube show Roddelpraat and rapper Jordymone9 (1, 2, 3) have given attention the story. Written questions have also been submitted by MPs René Claassen and Annelotte Lammers to Minister of Education, Culture and Science R.M. Letschert and Minister of Justice and Security D.M. van Weel.

BNNVARA has, despite the police's reaction in the Telegraaf, decided to keep the video featuring the police uniform online.