Australia PM's use of Fatman Scoop in parliament leads to invite

The US rapper said he was honored his lyrics were used at the higest level of Australian politics and invited the country's new PM to chill

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison gestures for MPs to raise a hand while quoting Fatman Scoop during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House. EPA

Australia's new prime minister Scott Morrison late on Friday welcomed an unlikely backstage invite from US rapper Fatman Scoop, after the conservative leader stirred a social media storm when he took exception to the entertainer's lyrics.

Mr Morrison – an evangelical Christian who has been prime minister for just a few weeks –  on Thursday deleted a video on his social media accounts showing lawmakers raising their hands in parliament to the lyrics from Fatman Scoop's hit song "Be Faithful".

The meme has parliamentarians agreeing to legislation in synchronisation to the lyrics: "You got a hundred-dollar bill, put your hands up! You got a fifty-dollar bill, put your hands up!"

But the song also contains explicit lyrics and references to casual sex – not mentioned in the meme – which many social media users pointed out.

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After just a few hours online the meme was removed, with a Twitter apology from Mr Morrison saying the full lyrics were "just not OK".

"It's quite clear that that is not a song on my playlist," he later told reporters in Sydney.

The uproar prompted a response late Friday from Fatman Scoop, who tagged Morrison in an Instagram post saying: “I am humbled to have my voice rocking in the highest offices of the Australian Government!”

The rapper defended his lyrics: “It's a fun PARTY SONG that has no NEGATIVITY or HARM in it!!”, before extending Mr Morrison an invite to a November festival appearance in Australia, “to watch, dance, and after in the backstage area discuss politics with me”.

Mr Morrison, a staunch proponent of family values who has softened his image in recent years, was quick to respond, saying he was "definitely keen" for the event but requested a family friendly rendition of the song.

“Btw, probably best to send me the PG (parental guidance) radio version next time,” he tweeted.