The Polish hip hop scene was born in the early 1990s, due to the popularity of American rap. Nevertheless,

rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

style in Polish music has its deep roots in the 1980s Polish punk rock,

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

music. Polish hip-hop artists are well-known performers across Europe, especially in the former Eastern Bloc. Many rappers from Poland are collaborating with artists from Europe, the USA and even Cuba.

History

The first album by a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

performer was ''East on the Mic'' by PM Cool Lee, which featured two songs in

. Lee was from

Kielce Kielce (, yi, קעלץ, Keltz) is a city in southern Poland, and the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2021, it had 192,468 inhabitants. The city is in the middle of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains (Holy Cross Mountains), on the bank ...

, but

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

soon emerged as a center for hip hop, after KOLOR, a

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

, began broadcasting '' Kolor Shock'', hosted by Bogna Świątkowska, Paul Jackson, an African American expatriate, Sylvia Opoku from London, and DJ Volt, whose crew, 1kHz, became performing stars in their own right in 1995. Volt also founded the first Polish independent hip hop label,

Beat Records Beat Records was an independent record label started by California night club promoter Stephen Zepeda (a.k.a. Steve Zepeda). Beat Records had record releases by Gary Valentine (of Blondie), The Furys, and The Plimsouls (featuring Peter Case). It ...

. Although the label did not last long, it did introduce groups like Trzyha and Molesta. In

Poznań Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...

, PH Kopalnia's '' Polski Rap - Zakazane Piosenki'' (''Polish rap - Forbidden Songs''). Now known as ''Liroy'', the former PM Cool Lee released '' Alboom'' in 1995, which included the hit "Scyzoryk" (''Penknife''). The most recognizable Polish hip hop band abroad is probably WWO, which is no longer active since 2006.

Sokół Sokół (, English: Falcon), or in full the Polskie Towarzystwo Gimnastyczne "Sokół" ( en, "Falcon" Polish Gymnastic Society), is the Poland, Polish offshoot of the Czech lands, Czech Sokol movement, and the oldest youth movement organization o ...

(who is also the owner of the Prosto Label and the Prosto Wear company) since then recorded 3 albums with Pono and 2 with

Marysia Starosta Marysia Starosta (born 19 March 1981 in Warsaw), is a Polish singer. Her debut album titled ''Maryland'' was released on November 24, 2008 by EMI Music Poland. From 2011 she worked with her former partner, rapper Sokół Sokół (, English: Falc ...

(who was also Sokół's fiancée).

Jędker Jędker (), real name Andrzej Wawrynkiewicz (), is a rapper from Warsaw, Poland. Member of ZIP Skład (Ziomki i Przyjaciele) and WWO (W Witrynach Odbicia, W Wyjątkowych Okolicznościach), together with DJ Deszczu Strugi, and Sokół Sokół ...

abandoned the Polish rap scene to make dance music with

Robert M The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

as Monopol (for which he is mocked and disrespected by the present Polish rap scene and most of the listeners) and DJ Deszczu Strugi is an owner of Otra Barwa Studio.

List of best-selling hip-hop music artists in Poland

General

Rappers

Bands

Duets

Singers

Producers

Foreign

Notes

:a. Based on albums certified by

Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry The Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry ( pl, Związek Producentów Audio-Video, ZPAV) is the trade organization that represents the interests of the music industry in Poland, and the Polish chapter of the International Federation of the ...

: ''Alboom'' (1995) - 4xPlatinum - 800,000 copies sold, ''Bafangoo Cz.1'' (1996) - Gold - 100,000 copies sold, ''L'' (1997) - Gold - 100,000 copies sold, ''Dzień Szakala (Bafangoo Cz.2)'' (1999) - Platinum - 100,000 copies sold, and ''Bestseller'' (2001) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold. *For certification criteria by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry after first time changes: * For certification criteria by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry after second time changes: * For certification criteria by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry after third time changes: :b. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Slums Attack: ''Na legalu?'' (2001) - Platinum - 100,000 copies sold, ''Najlepszą obroną jest atak'' (2005) - Gold - 17,500 copies sold, ''Szacunek ludzi ulicy'' (2006) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Fturując'' (2006) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Reedukacja'' (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, and ''CNO2'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Peja: ''Styl życia G'N.O.J.A.'' (2008) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, and ''Na serio'' (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :c. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for O.S.T.R.: ''HollyŁódź'' (2007) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Ja tu tylko sprzątam'' (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''O.c.b.'' (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Tylko dla dorosłych'' (2010) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, and ''Jazz, dwa, trzy'' (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. For O.S.T.R. & Hades: ''Haos'' (2014) - 30,000 copies sold. For O.S.T.R. & Marco Polo: ''Kartagina'' (2013) - 15,000 copies sold. For POE (Projekt Ostry Emade) ''Złodzieje zapalniczek'' (2010) - 15,000 copies sold. :d. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Równonoc. Słowiańska Dusza'' (2012) - Diamond - 75,000 copies sold. :e. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Skandal'' (1998) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold, and ''Molesta i kumple'' (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :f. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Sokół & Marysia Starosta: ''Czysta brudna prawda'' (2011) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold, and ''Czarna biała magia '' (2013) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. For Sokół fest Pono: ''Teraz pieniądz w cenie'' (2007) - 15,000 copies sold. :g. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Droga'' (2009) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Jedność '' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, ''Lojalność'' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Braterstwo'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :h. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''W 63 minuty dookoła świata'' (1998) - Gold - 50,000 copies sold. :i. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Kwiaty zła'' (2008) - Platinum - 15,000 copies sold , ''Dowód rzeczowy nr 1'' (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Dowód rzeczowy nr 2'' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :j. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Miuosh: ''Piąta strona świata'' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Prosto przed siebie'' (2012) - Platinum - 30,000 copies sold. Fo Onar & Miuosh ''Nowe światło'' (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :k. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Wideoteka'' (2003) - Gold - 35,000 copies sold. :l. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''WGW'' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Jeden z Was'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :m. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Witam was w rzeczywistości'' (2005) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Życie na kredycie'' (2005) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :n. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Nie pytaj o nią'' (2008) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold, and ''Zapiski z 1001 nocy'' (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :o. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Rekontatk'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :p. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Pezet & Małolat: ''Dziś w moim mieście '' (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Pezet: ''Radio Pezet. Produkcja Sidney Polak'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :q. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Mezo, Tabb & Kasia Wilk: ''Eudaimonia'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :r. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Note2'' (2009) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, ''FuckTede/Glam Rap'' (2010) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, ''Mefistotedes'' (2012) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, and ''Elliminati'' (2013) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold. :s. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''Złodzieje czasu'' (2009) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, ''Dolina klaunoow'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :t. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Łona & Webber: ''Cztery i pół '' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :u. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Kali: ''50/50'' (2011) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold, ''Gdy zgaśnie Słońce'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Paluch & Kali: ''Milion dróg do śmierci'' (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Paluch: ''Lepszego życia diler'' (2013) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :w. Based on album certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''23:55'' (2010) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :x. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: for Ten Typ Mes: ''Kandydaci na szaleńców'' (2011) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold. For Popek: ''Monster'' (2013) - Gold - 7,500 copies sold. For Firma: ''Nasza broń to nasza pasja'' (2011) - Gold - 5,000 copies sold. For Zeus: ''Zeus. Nie żyje'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Parias: ''Parias'' (2011) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. For Paktofonika: ''Muzyka z filmu Jesteś Bogiem'' (2012) - Gold - 15,000 copies sold. :y. Based on albums certified by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry: ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'' (2004) - Platinum - 20,000 copies sold, ''Encore'' (2004) - Gold - 20,000 copies sold, ''The Eminem Show'' (2002) - Gold 20,000 copies sold, ''The Marshall Mathers'' (2000) - Platinum 40,000 copies sold.

References

Additional sources

* For certification criteria by

between 2002-2005 (with time frame) Radek Miszczak, Andrzej Cała: ''Beaty, Rymy, Życie: Leksykon muzyki hip-hop.'' Poznań, Poland: Kurpisz S.A., 2005, page 22. . * For certification criteria by Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry before 2002 (without time frame) {{hiphop