"District of My Dreams" - Specters from the Russian Hip-Hop Underground!
- John Vandevert
- May 22, 2022
- 1 min read
The Russian Hip-Hop underground is one of myth and legend, at least to those who lie outside it. And as someone who is studying and hopes to thoroughly understand the fabric of the Russian rap scene in Russia from its inception in the late 80s to now, it's vital to get familiar with the first decade of the 21st-century because it was during this time when Russian rap really developed as its own cultural movement. In fact, the Russian 'Old School' didn't really begin in the 90s (in my opinion) but the 2000s because it was then when the capitalist marketplace was sparring against the subcultural one, while artists and groups were forced to navigate a highly saturated and complex environment, FULL of Hip-Hop everything, striving to create their own image amidst the desire for professional status. So, after having found out about this group only days ago, let me introduce you to one of the many groups during the 2000s, a group who chose to distance themselves from the seedy, aggressive, and confrontational style which was Russian rap in the 90s, and instead be a youthful, high energy, and well-spoken group: "Район Моей Мечты" (District of my Dreams).
Beginnings
The group formed as a result of two individual groups colliding during the 2000 "Coffee grinder" Rap Festival, a two-day event held in Chuvashia in Eastern Russia, home to a state opera house whose architecture is a wonderful example of Soviet brutalism. Anyhow, the groups "Nizhny Novgorod Substandard" and "Party from Cheboksary" (see photo), although they didn't win anything, saw each other's potential and decided to come together. This type of competitor-turned-colleague is not uncommon, and is how rap groups come into being, then and certainly now. Having recorded a track to see how they would sound together, the group decided to try their joint hand at the Rap Music 2000 Festival in December of that year. The fact that this competition was televised onto Russian MTV speaks a lot about the presence of Hip-Hop culture on post-Soviet public broadcasting and the instrumental role it had in shaping youth culture during this seminal period in Russian history. In any case, they succeeded in placing fourth, Grand Prix going to Ikambi Gwa Gwa (a long forgotten, St. Petersburg-based group) and first going to the group "Южный Централ 54", a lesser-known but equally important group from Donbass whose discography shows a release in 2015 so they must still be active somewhat. However, their performance earned them a label deal with Mix Media Records, and soon after they would begin officially working together as the group we know today.
First Album
Following the group's signage to Mix Media Records, they would release their first labeled 21-track album, "Much More" (2001), and although it's not really an album but a conglomerate of disparate tracks from the two groups with some joint work as well. In a recollection of their time with the label, Varchun (second from right) noted that the album didn't bring them any actual money but got them increased public exposure, something unattainable by themselves, "Of course, Mix Media had a wider distribution network, and in general, a serious office. Therefore, they threw it seriously and tightly." Thus, because of this wider circulation of their work, they began becoming noticed among listeners well outside Nizhny Novgorod and Cheboksary. A 2014 commenter on Hip-Hop.ru said, "I liked the album on a quick listen. Well, listen to this in the background in the car. such an underground rap in a fashionable sound," revealing the general feelings of this first 'album' among listeners. It was okay but its main purpose was to spread the name of the group and raise their domestic popularity.
New Era
So, the group was on an upwards trajectory, and now had fans across Russia waiting to hear more of their music. However, because the group required more precise and cogent business decision, group members Deep and Koldun opted out of continuing with the group. This is normal, however, because a group dynamics change priorities also change. Thus, Pencil, Archun and Krek continue as original members of the group, and to fill the spaces Nizhny-Novgorod MCs Хок и Лимо (two names who are all but forgotten now), along with the two-person Cheboksary rap group Stimulus (for a 2006 performance look here).
Thus, with the addition of these new members, 'District of my Dreams' had both a new sound, and fresh ideas on how to make music that would gain fan patronage for the blossoming world of Russian rap in the 2000s. It was around this time when the group would be approached by Rap Recordz (created in 1997, in 1999 releasing their first label release), and would propose a totally new way of operating and distributing their music, more in-line with the American model where labels are made under a single umbrella, parent company. Thus, Quasar Music Label was born (still active today and open to all kinds of public services). The first project was the 17-track album "Hip-hop from the banks of the Volga," which featured both the group and others from the Volga region. This would be followed up with No.2 (2003) and No.3 (2004). Thus, this album created the vital material for cross-country tours, having phenomenal appeal among Russian listeners, and setting the stage for the group's 20-track magnum opus, "Молниеносные Квазары" (Lighting Quasars), released in 2003 and regarded as one of Russian Hip-Hop's most important albums.
Ending and Reunion
The release of "Lighting Quasars" was both a good and bad thing, as it helped bring the group intense popularity yet helped the artists realize their individual potential. Thus, conflict between artists and what they could achieve on their own became topic of hot debate behind the scenes, not yet being made open to the public just yet. But at the "Coffee Grinder" Rap Festival (ostensibly in 2003 but this has to be verified), Pencil [or Karandash] was absent due to his time being spent working on his solo debut album "Уценка 99 %" (2003), having already moved to Moscow prior to this to pursue his solo career. With the release of the solo album, it became publically clear that the group's dynamic was now permanently effected, and that previous cohesion was now irretrievable. A short time after, Varchun's solo album "My Toys" (2004) was released, adding another nail in the coffin to the group's harmony, and was much more in-line with typical rap themes, something the group had stayed away from for the most part.
However, while Pencil left the group Varchun didn't and thus the remaining members released the third iteration of "Hip-hop from the banks of the Volga," along with heightened press, radio appearances, and performances, culminating in their performance at the second Our People Rap Festival (held in 2003 and apparently a huge deal at the time!). However, by this time the heyday of the group was gone, and after two joint albums with Varchun in 2007 and 2009 the group's productivity would decline and eventually stop. The end of the group would soon come after, although a short reunion would happen in 2012. The would go onto release the track "Stupid Break" and a music video in 2014, and then the album "Disco Kings" the same year. However, this seems to be about it from their reunion.
Comments