Freundeskreis

Freundeskreis was founded in Stuttgart in 1996 by Maximilian Herre, Philippe Kayser (alias Don Philippe) and Martin Welzer (alias DJ Friction). The band is one of the most influential representatives of German conscious rap, which is characterized by politically and socially conscious lyrics. In their songs, Freundeskreis address equal rights, international understanding and social grievances. The group combines hip-hop with jazz, soul and reggae influences, giving them a unique style within the German-speaking hip-hop scene. Their debut album Quadratur des Kreises was released in 1997 and reached number 12 in the German charts. The single "A-N-N-A" becomes a hit and reaches No. 6. Their second album Esperanto (1999) reaches No. 3 in Germany and once again demonstrates the band's musical and content-related aspirations. The song "Mit Dir", a collaboration with Joy Denalane, is also a great success and climbs to number 9 in the German singles charts. After a break, they release their best-of compilation FK 10 in 2007 and finally end their band activities with one last concert in Stuttgart. Freundeskreis remain one of Germany's most important hip-hop groups, known for their social influence and musical diversity.