Greek hip hop


Greek hip hop, is the chief genre of rap music in Greece.

History

The earliest indications of the localized genre date back to 1987 the Maxi-single Deejays's with the group FF.C, though native language albums did not appear until the mid-1990s. The first hip hop album was Diamartiria in 1993 of Active Member along with "Σκληροί καιροί" by FF.C though many can argue that the album Modern Fears "Η Αναμέτρηση" by Aris Thomas was the first hip hop influenced record in Greece. Then FF.C followed with Σημεία των καιρών, and TXC with their single Terror X Crew in 1995.
Gangsta rap came to Greece in 1997 with the group . In 1999 the group Paremvoles released the first hardcore CD named En Opsi. In 2000 the group Alfa Gama continued with the CD named Agnostofovia. Imiskoumbria and Goin' Through made Greek hip-hop famous in the mainstream Greek audience. Goin' Through changed their way of music from hip hop to a kind of R&B or Pop music. The political issues and the society also invaded to this type of music. Terror X Crew introduced a new style of rapping with their CD's "I Polis Ealo" and "Essetai Imar". These albums are ethnocentric and for the first time Greek nationalism is involved to the hip-hop music. For this, the then president of the Hellenic Front, Makis Voridis awards them as "they try to wake up the Greek nation".
Nowadays Greek hip hop covers a broad spectrum, all the way from hardcore hip hop to urban pop, and has managed to transform from an underground musical genre to one that tops the charts in Greece. Some of the artists that top the charts are Taki Tsan, LEX, Midenistis, Ipohthonios, Kanon, Thitis, Phyrosun, N.O.E and Joker/Two Face, Mikros Kleftis, Thodoris Cortes, Zoro&Buzz, Rationalistas, Bong Da City, Vita Pis, Kataxanas, Thanasimos, FullFace, PAL.