Dangdut and the Concept of Khamr: Hermeneutic Analysis of Dangdut Koplo Performance

Dangdut is a proof that all levels of society in Indonesia can enjoy music. The lyrics of Dangdut that is honest and close to daily life occurrences make Dangdut easy to understand for everyone, including those coming from lower to the middle class. But that very reason makes the gedongan people, those who came from middle-upper class, mocks Dangdut as music for the plebs. The mockery became increasingly common when Dangdut was identified as erotic music performances. Dangdut music, created by the combination of the sound of the drum, single organ, and flute, was accompanied by erotic dances performed by the dangdut singer. This performance bewitched the audience, especially men. They seemed to feel "high" and then willingly gave sawer, the act of giving money to the singer, without thinking about their primary needs. This paper raises the question of whether Dangdut Koplo can be considered as Khamr, a form of alcoholic substance if the performance has an intoxicating effect. By using the hermeneutic method, this study will analyze the phenomenon of Dangdut Koplo performance and the meaning behind the term of Khamr itself. The result shows that although Dangdut Koplo performance and khamr are two different things, there is a connectedness between the intoxicating effect of Dangdut Koplo performances and the concept of Khamr.