ThePolish hip hop scene started in the early 1990s, due to the popularity of American rap. Nevertheless,rap style in Polish music has its deep roots in the 1980s Polishpunk rock,alternative rock,disco andfunk music.
Polish hip-hop artists are well-known performers across Europe, especially in the former Eastern Bloc. Many rappers from Poland have collaborated with artists from Europe, the US and even Cuba.
One of The first album by aPolish performer wasEast on the Mic byPM Cool Lee, which featured two songs inPolish. Lee was fromKielce, but inWarsaw in 1991, the duo Trials X recorded the demo album "Fekalia", which was released in the UZI store in 1992. It was the first album by a rap band recorded entirely in Polish.Warsaw soon emerged as a center forhip hop, afterKOLOR, aradio station, began broadcastingKolor Shock, hosted byBogna Świątkowska, Paul Jackson, an African American expatriate, Sylvia Opoku from London, andDJ Volt, whose crew,1kHz, became performing stars in their own right in 1995. In 1994, the duo Trials X recorded the album "Prawda, Cel, Przesłanie" (Truth, Purpose, Message) in the S4 studio, which was released in the spring of 1995. Volt also founded the first Polish independent hip hop label,B.E.A.T. Records. Although the label did not last long, it did introduce groups likeTrzyha andMolesta. InPoznań,PH Kopalnia'sPolski Rap - Zakazane Piosenki (Polish rap - Forbidden Songs).Now known asLiroy, the former PM Cool Lee releasedAlboom in 1995, which included the hit "Scyzoryk" (Penknife).
The most recognizable Polish hip hop band abroad isKaliber 44 which is definitely the most popular hip-hop band in Poland. This band was the first Polish music band to give concerts in the USA, including in Chicago and New York. One of the membersAbradAb achieved numerous successes after the group's suspension, winning 4Fryderyk Awards orMTV Europe Music Awards.
Hardcore psychorap (also called psychorap) - a subgenre of rap music, created in the nineties by the Polish music band Kaliber 44. This genre is characterized by a large amount of psychedelia in the lyrics, productions and the atmosphere itself. Psychorap lyrics are sung in a loud tone, sometimes even shouted, which is intended to more effectively convey emotions to the human mind. Psychorap is sometimes enriched with additions in the form of female howling or a choir. Polish romanticism, as well as fantasy literature, are strong inspirations for its lyrical layer of psychorap. Marijuana use also has a certain stigma in the genre.
List of best-selling hip-hop music artists in Poland
a.^ Based on albums certified byPolish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Alboom (1995) - 4xPlatinum - 800,000 copies sold,Bafangoo Cz.1 (1996) - Gold - 100,000 copies sold,L (1997) - Gold - 100,000 copies sold,Dzień Szakala (Bafangoo Cz.2) (1999) - Platinum - 100,000 copies sold, andBestseller (2001) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
b.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forSlums Attack:Na legalu? (2001) - Platinum - 100,000 copies sold,Najlepszą obroną jest atak (2005) - Gold - 17,500 copies sold,Szacunek ludzi ulicy (2006) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Fturując (2006) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Reedukacja (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, andCNO2 (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForPeja:Styl życia G'N.O.J.A. (2008) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, andNa serio (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
c.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forO.S.T.R.:HollyŁódź (2007) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Ja tu tylko sprzątam (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,O.c.b. (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Tylko dla dorosłych (2010) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, andJazz, dwa, trzy (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. ForO.S.T.R. & Hades:Haos (2014) - 30,000 copies sold. ForO.S.T.R. & Marco Polo:Kartagina (2013) - 15,000 copies sold. ForPOE (Projekt Ostry Emade)Złodzieje zapalniczek (2010) - 15,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
d.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Równonoc. Słowiańska Dusza (2012) - Diamond - 75,000 copies sold.[4][3]
e.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Skandal (1998) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold, andMolesta i kumple (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
f.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forSokół & Marysia Starosta:Czysta brudna prawda (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, andCzarna biała magia (2013) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. ForSokół fest Pono:Teraz pieniądz w cenie (2007) - 15,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
g.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Droga (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Jedność (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold,Lojalność (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andBraterstwo (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
h.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:W 63 minuty dookoła świata (1998) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold.[1]
i.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Kwiaty zła (2008) - Platinum - 15,000 copies sold ,Dowód rzeczowy nr 1 (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andDowód rzeczowy nr 2 (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
j.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forMiuosh:Piąta strona świata (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andProsto przed siebie (2012) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. FoOnar & MiuoshNowe światło (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
k.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Wideoteka (2003) - Gold - 35,000 copies sold.[1][3]
l.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:WGW (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andJeden z Was (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
m.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Witam was w rzeczywistości (2005) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andŻycie na kredycie (2005) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
n.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Nie pytaj o nią (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, andZapiski z 1001 nocy (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
o.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Rekontatk (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
p.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forPezet & Małolat:Dziś w moim mieście (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForPezet:Radio Pezet. Produkcja Sidney Polak (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
q.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forMezo, Tabb & Kasia Wilk:Eudaimonia (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
r.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Note2 (2009) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold,FuckTede/Glam Rap (2010) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold,Mefistotedes (2012) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, andElliminati (2013) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold.[1][3]
s.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:Złodzieje czasu (2009) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold,Dolina klaunoow (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
t.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forŁona & Webber:Cztery i pół (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
u.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forKali:50/50 (2011) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold,Gdy zgaśnie Słońce (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForPaluch & Kali:Milion dróg do śmierci (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForPaluch:Lepszego życia diler (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
w.^ Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:23:55 (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
x.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: forTen Typ Mes:Kandydaci na szaleńców (2011) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold. ForPopek:Monster (2013) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold. ForFirma:Nasza broń to nasza pasja (2011) - Gold - 5,000 copies sold. ForZeus:Zeus. Nie żyje (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForParias:Parias (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. ForPaktofonika:Muzyka z filmu Jesteś Bogiem (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold.[1][3]
y.^ Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry:The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2004) - Platinum - 20,000 copies sold,Encore (2004) - Gold - 20,000 copies sold,The Eminem Show (2002) - Gold 20,000 copies sold,The Marshall Mathers (2000) - Platinum 40,000 copies sold.[1][2][3]
For certification criteria byPolish Society of the Phonographic Industry between 2002-2005 (with time frame) Radek Miszczak, Andrzej Cała:Beaty, Rymy, Życie: Leksykon muzyki hip-hop. Poznań, Poland: Kurpisz S.A., 2005, page 22.ISBN83-89738-75-9.
For certification criteria by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry before 2002 (without time frame)Witucka, Ewa."Złote płyty gorszej próby?".Tygodnik Przegląd (in Polish). www.przeglad-tygodnik.pl.ISSN1509-3115. Retrieved2014-07-14.
