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| Bulgarian hip hop | |
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| Stylistic origins | Hip hop |
| Cultural origins | Mid 1980s, Bulgaria |
Hip hop is one of the most popular music styles in Bulgaria , especially among young people.
The Bulgarian hip hop culture development and influence is divided into two main periods.
"The First Wave" ran from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. This period is known with its underground rap, breakdancing crews, graffiti artist and unknown DJs. At that time some of the active rappers like Ivo-Trombona, Vasko Teslata and Alexander recorded and created the first official Bulgarian rap band with the song "Problems" recorded in the studio of "New Generation" in Sofia. Ivo-Trombona (later on renamed as Mc Guinness) is considered the first Bulgarian Rapper and founder of the Bulgarian rap and hip hop culture. In 1991 an eclectic group of musicians, Dobo Rap Plamen Sound, recorded an experimental live rap album in the Black Sea city of Bourgas. Another follow ups at that time era were: Dynamic (DJ Stancho and Peter), Gumeni Glavi, Amnistea (some members participate in Dope Reach Squad), DEAD SIDE, Teslata and Bulldogz.
"The Second Wave" from 1999 to nowadays was a big time success in comparison to the first one, mainly due to the arrival of R'n'B and hip hop sensation, Henry Orhan Sami Beggin, otherwise known as Big Talk to his fans. Other prominent artists from this time are Misho Shamara (renamed as Big Sha) with his Frontline Hustle label, DJ Stancho, Spens and Slim and their label Sniper Records. Those two labels were quite controversial in terms of "real hip-hop", sampling and mostly which is "the better one". This east-west conflict was mimicking the US hip-hop scene only for commercial reasons and began with rap battles. In 2001 was created the first label which united hiphop artists from the city of Rousse - the Rousse section. Its founders were the infamous MCs the Da Drill and Facta. Da Drill, known as one of the greatest Bulgarian female MCs dropped her album “96” in 2002. In 2001 Ndoe and Mitaka form DRS(Dope Rich Squad) and drop their debut album “Урок#1”(Lesson#1). The album features other artists such as Nasimo(Naste), Scum, The Nachko Orchestra, 187 Clan, Nokaut, Yuliana and others. In 2003 Gazara and Gaidara known as Nokaut released their album “Demo”, inspired by the Irish hiphop group House of Pain. The hiphop group Upsurt dropped their debut album “Bozdugan” in 1999 followed by their second album “Chekai malko” in 2001. X-Team consisting of members Startera, Killa K, Mista P was formed somewhere in the mid 1990s. They dropped their first and only album “Znaniya, mudrost I razbirane” in 2002. In 1999 Yoko and Wosh MC created the group The Top Stoppers. Another artists of this era are Sensei, Consa, Kvartalni Bratya and etc.
In the late 2000s and early 2010s some more modern artists such as Dim4ou, Qvkata DLG, 100 Kila and Krisko gained fame.
Some other modern artists, most of which started their careers in the 2010s are Jluch, Gena and Grigovor(So Called Crew), Imera, Sfonk and Bunta(5o’clock), Atila, Secta, Boro Purvi(formerly known as Boreau), Madmatic, Qvkata DLG, SplitKid and etc.
In 2020, Trap music , also known as "New wave" era, became the most listened music genre everywhere around the world. Bulgaria is known for its modern artists as V:RGO, MurdaBoyz, MBT and others.
There are two main trends in Bulgarian hip-hop: mainstream and underground. The first one set by Gumeni Glavi and their label R'n'b Records mirrored the American rap scene as depicted on MTV, complete with grillz, heavy jewelry, scantly clad women, Dirty South/East Coast/West Coast variations.
Notable acts of hip-hop positive development are the several clubs specialized in R'n'B and hip-hop music, established by Misho Shamara and his clothing line. On the other side - Sniper Records - the quite successful hip-hop magazine "Knockout", the "NGP" video shooting studio, and the several hip-hop events powered by Sniper Records such as the Cilvaringz and RZA concert in Bulgaria and the "No borders" Balkan festivals placed in Sofia. No doubt this was big progress for Bulgarian hip-hop.
The most distinct commercial Bulgarian rappers to date are Misho Shamara, Consa, 100 Kila, and Upsurt.
In 2007, Misho Shamara changed his name to Big Sha, signed to Universal Records and created a new label - Frontline Hustle, which is also signed to Virginia Records/Universal Records.
In 2008, Big Sha released his fifth studio album - Hliab & Amfeti (Bread and Amphetamines), which has guest appearances from Drag-On and Crucial Conflict, Frontline Hustle labelmates. The album was a major success in Bulgaria.
Big Sha was featured on LiLana's song "Dime Piece" together with American rapper Snoop Dogg. The song and the video were released in Bulgaria on April 24, 2009. As announced, this collaboration was probably the most unexpected by the Bulgarian rap fans, but it was made possible by the producer of the song Ariel Rodriguez. Also, this is the first collaboration between a Bulgarian rapper and an American worldwide known rap star.
There are also some Bulgarian mainstream hip-hop artists who collaborate with folk-stars (e.g. Ustata).
The hip-hop scene in Bulgaria consists of numerous performers, including Spens, XA, Wosh & Yoko, X-Team, FARS (Funatic Adventures of Rhyme Sapiens), E.C.C.C - East Coast Cash Crew, Horata na Izgreva DRS+ (Dope Reach Squad working alongside Nokaut since 2002) and even have a representative of the crunk/dirty south movement, in the face of Jentaro and his group Nad Zakona (also known as Above Da Law Clique or just Above Da Law). He is notoriously known not only for his raw lyrics and gimmicks to turn a pending club crowd into a riot, but also for his rough flows and deliveries, often bordering with screaming. On March 31-st, 2010, he alongside other popular Bulgarian hip-hop artists was a supporting act for Lil Jon at his concert in Zala "Universiada" in Sofia, Bulgaria. He is the founder and developer of the crunk style in Bulgaria since 2005, being the first ever to bring it to Europe. Udarnata Grupa (The Striking Team) is the most prominent underground formation in Bulgaria, with no media appearance, a few events in Plovdiv, but with own distinctive style of rapping which is appreciated form those who are familiar with what is to be called "real hip-hop".
Upsurt is also a famous hip-hop group, which has gone from underground to mainstream. Their first album, Bozdugan, was released in 1999 and was based on rude and vulgar rhymes as well as original pop references. [1]
After 2010 the Bulgarian hip hop scene was flooded with new innovative artist including - F.O., Keranov, Qvkata DLG, Dim4ou, Jluch and many others, who became popular with uploading their songs online and later making videoclips for the songs. They became notorious mostly with their lyrics concerning the everyday lifestyle of the Bulgarian youth.
The Egasi Festa festival in Burgas in May 2023 bought together several hip hop artists. [2] [3]
Dutch hip hop or Nederhop ("Netherhop") is hip hop / rap music created by Dutch speaking musicians in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium). Although the first Dutch rappers in Europe typically wrote in the English language, this began to change when Osdorp Posse gained a big following of fans. They were the first to record and release hip hop in the Dutch language, perform for big crowds and to achieve chart success with their albums.
Delmar Drew Arnaud, known professionally as Daz Dillinger or simply Daz, is an American rapper and record producer. As a member of Death Row Records in the early 1990s, he is credited with the label in pioneering West Coast hip hop and gangsta rap for mainstream audiences. Alongside Kurupt, he formed the hip hop duo tha Dogg Pound in 1992, with whom he has released eight albums.
Jordan Michael Houston III, known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, established in 1991. He released ten studio albums with the group, which began as an underground act until attaining mainstream recognition and signing with Loud Records, an imprint of Columbia Records in 2000. The group's 2005 single, "Stay Fly", yielded their furthest commercial success, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, they recorded the song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" for the film Hustle & Flow, which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Emerging in the first half of the 1980s, Swedish hip hop originated in the cities of Stockholm and Malmö. Early on, most rappers in Sweden performed in English. Funkalics and The Latin Kings, two very different acts united by their innovative use of the Swedish language, debuted a decade later and paved the way for a second, and bigger, breakthrough for Swedish hip hop. Today, some of the most popular rappers use Swedish, often in different accents.
Spens, is a Bulgarian hip hop artist. He was born in Pleven on October 13, 1975.
Grand Hustle Records, also known as Hustle Gang Music, is an American hip hop record label, founded in 2003, by American rapper and record executive T.I. and his manager Jason Geter. The label was distributed by Atlantic Records until December 2012, and has since operated as an independent record label. Its roster has included acts such as 8Ball & MJG, B.o.B, Killer Mike, Young Dro, DJ Drama, Iggy Azalea, Meek Mill, Chip, Travis Scott,The OMG Girlz and Trae tha Truth, the latter of whom also served as the label's vice president. The label also houses a roster of record producers, which has included Lil' C, Mars and Nard & B.
Grand Hustle Presents: In da Streetz Volume 4 is a hip hop compilation album by recording artists of American record label Grand Hustle, founded by rapper T.I. The album was released on December 19, 2006, under Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records.
European hip hop refers to hip hop music and culture originating from Europe. Emerging in the 1980s following the genre's popularity in the United States, European hip hop has evolved into a diverse and influential musical movement. It encompasses a wide range of styles and subgenres, reflecting the continent's varied cultural landscapes and the experiences of both ethnic nationals and immigrant communities. Notable regional scenes include British hip hop and grime, German hip hop featuring both ethnic German and Turkish artists, and French hip hop, which has undergone several distinct eras of development. Other countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, and Romania have also produced significant hip hop scenes, each with its own unique characteristics and prominent artists.
Mihail Stanislavov Mihaylov born on December 27, 1972, better known as Big Sha or by his previous name, Misho The Slap, is a Bulgarian rapper from Varna, Bulgaria. He is known for his socialist leanings and disapproval of Bulgaria's prime minister Boiko Borisov. One of the country's top rap artists in the 1990s and the early 2000s, his career has been waning ever since his partner, Ivan Glavchev, was sentenced in 2003 to 12 years in prison for running an organization that exported Bulgarian prostitutes, including minors, to France, Spain, Belgium and Italy. He openly supported Bulgaria's last socialist-led government, whose decision to appoint a media tycoon known for his links to organized crime as head of the national security agency sparked nationwide protests against the Oresharski cabinet. He also provoked indignation by calling Bulgaria's former Finance Minister, Simeon Dyankov, "Jewish scum" in 2013. The following day he published an apology to the Jewish community in Bulgaria, on his official Facebook page.
Spirit of Burgas was a summer music festival in the city of Burgas, on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The first edition of the festival took place on 15–17 August 2008 and since then has significantly grown in popularity, becoming one of the most prominent summer festivals in Europe. Among its partners and sponsors are MTV Europe, who aired two specials about the festival in September 2008, as well as Tuborg, Mobiltel, Jack Daniel's, Jacobs, and DSK Bank.
Lebanese Hip Hop is a pioneering movement in Arabic hip hop as Lebanese youth were among the first to be affected by hip hop culture. Arabic hip hop has received Western media attention, but most Lebanese rappers think that there is still a lack of local interest in their music. Hip hop in Lebanon is both an art form and a stage for artists to voice their alternative discourse in the public sphere.
Toni Petkovski, also known as Toni Zen, is a Macedonian rapper and producer. The former member of music band Urbana Dimenzija has been a pop artist for more than 8 years.
Hiphop Tamizha is an Indian musical duo based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The duo consists of Rangadhithya "Adhi" Ramachandran Venkatapathy and R. Jeeva.
G.D.O.D. is a series of compilation mixtapes released by American hip hop and R&B record label Grand Hustle Records, under the namesake Hustle Gang. The first installment in the series was released on May 7, 2013.
VIP Brother 5, also referred to as VIP Brother 2013 was the fifth season of the reality show VIP Brother in Bulgaria and the eleventh season of the Big Brother format overall. It was confirmed by Nova Television on June 26, 2013, and commenced on September 15, 2013, and lasted for 63 days, ended on November 16, 2013, holding the record for longest VIP season of the Big Brother format in Bulgaria together with the fourth season from 2012. Niki Kanchev and Aleksandra Sarchadjieva returned as main presenters. Stanka Zlateva won with Marian Kyurpanov as the runner-up.
Joe Christie, better known as Braintax, is a British rapper and record producer. Christie had also recorded or appeared under the pseudonyms Brando Flux and Joey Brains. All of his releases were on his own record label, Low Life Records.
Yarah Bravo is a singer-songwriter, rapper, poet, beatmaker. Born to a Chilean mother and a Brazilian father, who came to Sweden as political refugees. She sings and raps in English, Swedish and Spanish.
Albena Stambolova is a Bulgarian psychoanalyst and Freudian psychologist, literature columnist and novelist. She become known with her lectures on psychoanalysis that she gave to Bulgarian philology program and Slavic and Western philologies in Sofia University after her return from France where she studied to Bulgarian literary critic, semiotician and psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva.
DA-108 is a rap group from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and was formed in 1994 by Pavel Pachkay (DJ-108) and Roman "Cooper" Alexeev. A distinctive feature of the group is strong emphasis for flow with frivolous attitude to the content of lyrics.
Maksim Evgenievich Gololobov, better known as Jeeep (Jeep), is a Russian rapper, a former member of the K.T.L. D.L.L., Slaves of the Lamp, D.O.B. Community, "Empire", "Fury Inc.". He is the founder and participant of the T.I.R. project.
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