Capital Bra

Despite being born in Siberia, Russia, rapper Capital Bra – born Vladislav Balovatsky on November 23, 1994 - has made his name as one of the fiercest forces on Germany's underground hip-hop scene before softening his aggressive style and scoring a string of chart-topping, crossover hits. He initially moved to Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine because of his father's work in the oil industry, but as he and his mother settled in the Alt-Hohenschönhausen district of Berlin, Germany, he began rapping as a way to fit in and make friends. In his youth, he played football for Berliner FC Dynamo, but became inspired by the American rappers who dominated MTV in the 2000s and took the name Capital Bra as a brag about his hustling ability. He came to wider attention when he started taking part in the Rap am Mittwoch freestyle rap battle tournament and despite being only 16, savagely dismantled groups of older, more experienced rappers. He then went on to release his debut album, Kuku Bra, in 2016. Known for his punchy aggression and trap beats, he told stories of inner-city street life and the immigrant experience, making his commercial breakthrough with his 2017 singles "Nur Noch Gucci" and "Ole Ole" (featuring RAF Camora and Joshi Mizu) as they reached gold status. Lacing his rhymes with potent put-downs, gangster rap bravado and the odd Russian proverb, he cemented his position as a leading star of the German music scene when album Berlin Lebt (2018) and massive hits "5 Songs in Einer Nacht" and "Neymar" topped the charts. Follow-up singles "One Night Stand," "Berlin Lebt," "Melodien" and "Fur Euch Alle" - a collaboration with Bushido - made it six consecutive Number 1 hits. He released the single "Melodien" and the album Allein (2018) before going on to releasing his sixth studio album, CB6, in 2019. That same year also marked the arrival of his first collaborative studio album with Samra, Berlin Lebt 2, while CB7 landed in 2020, featuring a host of guests including Bozza and Loredana. Remaining a prolific artist, Capital Bra released several Top 10 singles in 2021 including “B.L.F.L.,” “Aventador” (featuring Jamule), and “Unter Verdacht” (with NGEE). In March 2022, he released the album 8, which was followed four months later by Deutschrap brandneu, a collaborative album with rapper Farid Bang.