Medina believes that the rap battles paid too much attention
FRANKFURT am MAIN, 14 Jul — RIA Novosti, Elizabeth Isakov. Rap battles in Russia are paying too much attention, this is not a phenomenon of Russian culture, said in an interview with RIA Novosti, the Minister of culture Vladimir Medinsky.
“As for rap battles, it seems to me that we pay more attention to this than it’s worth,” said he, answering the question of whether rap battle to refer to a new period of modern Russian culture.
Medinsky stressed that “rap is not a phenomenon of Russian culture” as poets contest are not something new.
“Poets contest was held in Russia always. In the Soviet Union — remember the sixties, competition, improvisers, and among the poets of the Silver age, and in the XIX century, and in many other countries at different times. We can think of medieval minstrels in Royal courts. So nothing new in this,” added the Minister.
The theme of the rap battles (a contest of two rappers with the goal of verbal humiliation of the opponent in rhymed form) became popular when YouTube was published recording the verbal competition of rappers!! and glory to the CPSU. The battle took place on 6 August in St. Petersburg. Five judges awarded the victory to the Glory of the CPSU; Oxxxymiron the first time, defeated.
In Internet fight watched by more than 24 million times. The most popular live rap battles in YouTube history to date is the battle Oxxxymiron Johnyboy and gathered almost 2.5 years more than 40 million views.