Romanian hip-hop

Romanian hip hop is currently growing in popularity in Europe. The sound is similar to that of Latin hip hop and Spanish acts. The main theme is politics, based on anti-system protest, and social, underlining the rich-poor gap and the low quality of the new, post-Communist, enriched class. Bucharest is the main center, since most of other groups/rappers from outside the city would still come there for recording. Others main centers are Craiova, Timisoara, Constanza and Brasov.

Once dominated by B.U.G. Mafia (Bucharest Underground Mafia), the market is currently the fiefdom of La Familia,Bitza, Zale and Paraziţii. An important moment in Romanian hip hop history was the support Morometzii gave to Traian Băsescu and his centrist political alliance during 2004, through the anti-system (in fact against the then-ruling Social Democratic Party) songs România, trezeşte-te! ("Romania, wake up!") and În luptă cu Puterea ("Fighting the Power").

2006 was a great year for Romanian hip hop, especially for the underground scene. Independent labels as Hades Records or Facem Records finally got out of the box with albums that soon reached the stores at a national level. Also a big step in the evolution of Romanian hip hop was the Summer Jam 2006 hip hop festival that took place in Bucharest. Created and supervised by Hades Records/Hades Events, Summer Jam was the first of its kind and size in Romania, uniting more than 20 artists and bands over 2 days of show, including DJ contests, breakdance shows, streetball contests and a lot of high quality hip hop.

List of performers/bands

• 1Q Sapro
• Acelash - from the band Raparta
• Acid
• Ad Litteram
• ADN
• Aforic (Constanţa)
• Anonim (Bucharest)
• Axes (Bucharest)
• Bibanu (Brasov)
• Bitză (Bucharest)
• B.U.G. Mafia (Bucharest)
• Brugner (Bucharest)
• Butch (Bucharest)
• Camuflaj (Cluj-Napoca)
• Cast
• Cedry2k
• CenzuraH
• Ceilalti (Suceava)
• Cabron (Ploieşti)
• Cheloo Wikipedia România
• Cheya Crew (Bucharest) www.cheya.ro
• Codu' Penal (Ploieşti)
• Cojones Record (Vaslui)
• Criss Blaziny (Constanta)
• CTM (Oradea)
• Cumicu (Cluj-Napoca)
• C.I.A. (Craiova) ro: C.I.A.(Craiova Independent Artists)
• CTC (Bucharest)
• Dagga (Bucharest)
• DJ Swamp
• DJ Dox (Bucharest - member of Turntable Science)
• DJ FaiboX (Bucharest - member of Turntable Science
• DJ Grigo
• DJ Limun (Timisoara)
• DJ Paul (member of CTC) - member of Turntable Science
• DJ Undoo (Bucharest - member of Turntable Science)
• DJ Sleek
• Da Hood (Bucharest)
• Delikt
• Deceneu, member of Baza De Agreement (Tecuci)
• Don Baxter ((Bucharest))
• Dragonu' aka 47((Bucharest))
• El Nino (Craiova)
• Endogen (Bucharest)
• Explicit
• Ezekiel (Bucharest)
• Funktastics (Bucharest)
• GDR (Grupul de Rezistenta)
• General Trix (Timisoara/Amsterdam)
• Ghetto Dacii (Bucharest/Buzău/Tecuci)
• Grasu XXL (Bacau)
• Griffo (Bucharest)
• Guess Who (Bucharest)
• Honey
• Il-egal (Bucharest)
• Jay previously known as J or Litera (Bucharest)
• K-Gula (Bucharest)
• K-Mi (Bucharest)
• KaTaNa (Bucharest)
• Kazi Ploae (Bucharest)
• Keri (Petrosani / Bucharest)
• Kraftu (Craiova)
• KST (Bucharest)
• La Familia (Bucharest)
• Maximilian (Bucharest)
• Methadon 3000
• Mr.Levy - previusly known as Cainele aka. Sol'Dat (Cluj-Napoca)
• Morometzii (Bucharest)
• Mutu (Craiova)
• Ortega (Bucharest)
• Ombladon (Bucharest)
• Paraziţii (from Colentina neighbourhood of Bucharest)
• Pacha-Man (Timişoara)
• R.A.C.L.A. (Bucharest)
• R.A.N.-S.
• Raku (Bucharest)
• RapArta (Bucharest)
• Rappy (Oradea)
• SDST
• Skizzo Skillz (Timişoara)
• Specii
• Spike (Bucharest)
• SubOriceCritica (Bucharest)
• Tranda (Constanţa)
• Turntable Science
• U.S.M. (Bucharest) (Underground Sound Masters)
• Verdikt (Bucharest)
• VeritaSaga
• Vexatu Vexx (Bucharest)
• What's Up (Bucharest)
• Zale (Bucharest/Ploieşti)