The Polish hip hop scene was born in the early 1990s, due to the popularity of American rap. Nevertheless, rap style in Polish music has its deep roots in the 1980s Polish punk rock, alternative rock, disco and funk music. Polish hip-hop artists are well-known performers across Europe, especially in the former Eastern Bloc. Many rappers from Poland are collaborating with artists from Europe, the USA and even Cuba.

History

The first album by a Polish performer was East on the Mic by PM Cool Lee, which featured two songs in Polish. Lee was from Kielce, but Warsaw soon emerged as a center for hip hop, after KOLOR, a radio station, began broadcasting Kolor Shock, hosted by Bogna Świątkowska, Paul Jackson, an African American expatriate, Sylvia Opoku from London, and DJ Volt, whose crew, 1kHz, became performing stars in their own right in 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 like Trzyha and Molesta. In Poznań, PH Kopalnia's Polski Rap - Zakazane Piosenki (Polish rap - Forbidden Songs). Now known as Liroy, the former PM Cool Lee released Alboom in 1995, which included the hit "Scyzoryk" (Penknife). The most recognizable Polish hip hop band abroad is probably Kaliber 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 Shicago and New York. One of the members AbradAb achieved numerous successes after the group's suspension, winning 4 Fryderyk Awards and being nominated for MTV Europe Music Awards.

Hardcore Psychorap

It is a rap subgenre created in 1995 by the Kaliber 44 group. This subgenre is characterized by a lot of psychedelia in the lyrics, productions and in the feel itself. The lyrics are sung in a loud tone, sometimes even shouted, making you feel as if they were sung from a distance, now further away, now closer. in the case of Kaliber 44, the texts are written in the style of romantic and dramatic literature. The first psychorap song, was on their demo - „Demo 1995r.” and was titled „Do Boju Zakon Marii (To Fight, Order of Mary)”. A year later, their debut album „Księga Tajemnicza. Prolog. (Mysterious Book. Prologue.)” was released and was the first psychorap album. The album turned out to be a great success, selling in huge numbers and gaining recognition among fans, critics and people who do not usually listen to rap music. Psychorap in Poland was developing when in 1997 the album of the band 3xKlan was released under the title "Dom Pełen Drzwi (A House Full Of Doors)". Years after the creation of the subgenre, people performing psychorap include: Oki, Sobel, 3xKlan, Kleszcz, Banita, Psychotrop, Fejz, Joker Anagram, Mumin, Funk Jello, Schizoidalny, Koker beatbox or Nekrorot.

List of best-selling hip-hop music artists in Poland

MCs: Groups:

Additional sources