Jasmin Fazlić Jala

Jasmin Fazlić (born 16 October 1986), known by his stage name Jala Brat, is a Bosnian rapper, songwriter, producer, and hip hop musician. He has released several studio albums and is known for collaborating with another Bosnian rapper Buba Corelli, with whom he founded the record label Imperia.

Life and career

Early life and career beginnings

Jala started making rap music in the early 2000s in his improvised home-studio. He initially worked alone, later forming a hip-hop group BluntBylon with underground rappers such as Smayla and others, releasing songs and mixtapes on Youtube. He released his first EP ''Replay'' in 2011, collaborating with several other rappers, including his first collaboration with Buba Corelli.

In 2012, he released his debut solo album ''Riječ na riječ'' featuring both underground and well-known rappers, including Sajfer and Frenkie, as well as releasing the EP ''Mahala'' in collaboration with Shtela. That same year, Jala and Buba Corelli began releasing singles from their EP ''SA Sin City''. A total of 5 singles were released and the EP was completed in 2013. He also began working on the album ''Lice Ulice'', from which two singles were released in 2012 (''Lice Ulice'' and ''Uzeću vam sve''). However, the album remained unfinished.

At the end of 2012, Jala appeared alongside Buba and Kontra on Frenkie's track ''RMX''. They filmed a music video for the song, which received positive reviews and helped further establish Jala on the music scene.

Between 2013-2014, Jala and Buba worked on new music and began recording their joint studio album titled ''Pakt s Đavolom''. The first single from the album, ''Bez Tebe'', was released on 16. November 2014. The full album followed on 13 December 2014, preceded by three additional singles (''22'', ''Trinidad & Tobago'' and ''Borba''). The album was a major success, making Jala and Corelli the most listened-to rappers in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time.

Mainstream success

In early 2015, Jala decided to change his stage name to Jala Brat, citing the fact that, both privately and publicly, the suffix "Brat" began to appear frequently in addition to Jala.
After the success of their previous album, both Jala Brat and Buba Corelli began to shift their musical style to be more commercial and less underground than they had been before. Shortly after, Jala Brat and Buba Corelli recorded another joint album, ''Stari Radio'', which was released in 2016. The album featured major hits such as ''Skandal'' and ''Casino''.

However, their collaboration was temporarily interrupted with Buba Corelli (Amar Hodžić) arrested in June 2015 on suspicion of drug trafficking and remaining in detention until May 2016. During this period, Jala released the single ''Dom'' from the unfinished album ''Lice Ulice'' that was dedicated to Corelli and the other rappers who were jailed alongside him. He also represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016.

In November 2016, Jala Brat and Buba Corelli released another joint album titled ''Kruna'', the first project under their newly established publishing and media label, Imperia. The album featured eight tracks, with standout hits including ''Klinka'', ''Restart'', and ''Ne volim'' featuring Elena Kitić. The album used advanced technology, with 6 out of 8 singles published with 4K videos, and two lyrics videos.

With a promotional single called ''Mafia'' in April 2018, Jala Brat and Buba Corelli announced a new album called ''Alfa i Omega'' which was released in 2019 and which marked the continuation of their collaboration, recorded at their Imperia studio. The album features 15 tracks, including several high-profile remixes: ''Nema bolje'' (featuring RAF Camora), ''Ona'e'' (with Coby), ''Kamikaza'' (with Senidah), and ''Benga po snijegu'' (with Rasta), along with Jala’s solo track ''Mlada i luda''. A highlight of the album's success was the concert tour that followed, culminating in a sold-out show at Belgrade’s Tašmajdan Arena where over 15,000 fans were in attendance.

Seven years after the release of his debut album ''Riječ na riječ'', Jala Brat released his second solo album, ''99'', symbolically launched on September 9, 2019. The album features six tracks, notably ''Zove Vienna'' with guest appearances by RAF Camora and Buba Corelli. Music videos were produced for all the songs, adding a visual dimension to the project’s impact. His next project was also a solo album, titled ''Futura'' in 2021, with six songs and guest appearances by Buba Corelli, Elena, and Hava.

The fifth collaborative album by Jala Brat and Buba Corelli, titled ''GoodFellas'', came out in 2023. It includes 12 tracks, among them the hit ''Padam'' joined by Baby it's Pablo.

Their most recent joint project is the ''GOAT SEASON'' EP series in 2024, consisting of ''Part One'', ''Part Two'', and ''The Final Chapter''. This series produced some of their most popular tracks, including the singles ''Bez koda'', ''Blaka blaka'', and ''Bass''.

Today, Jala Brat produces music that represents a hybrid genre media outlets have occasionally labeled trap folk. Lyrically, his themes have ranged from socially conscious, street-inspired narratives to more provocative content, focusing on nightlife, romantic relationships, luxury fashion, and high-end club culture.

Collaborations with musicians

Riding on his blooming commercial success and launching Imperia, Jala began collaborating more and producing songs for major mainstream artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro. He recorded the song ''Zvezde plaču za nama'' (2015) with rapper Vuk Mob, then the song ''Dominantna'' (2016) with Dado Polumenta. He collaborated with Elena Kitić again, but this time on the song ''Folira'' (2016) alongside Buba Corelli. After that, he continued to record singles, notably collaborating with folk singer Maya Berović on the song ''To me radi'' (2016) in cooperation with Buba Corelli and developing her subsequent work. He also wrote lyrics and music for Katarina Grujić, Aco Pejović, Dara Bubamara and Selma Bajrami.

In early 2017, he collaborated with Serbian pop-folk singer Milan Stanković on the song ''Ego''. In March of the same year, he collaborated with Croatian singer Severina on her song ''Otrove''. The music video was viewed around 15 million times in less than a month and overall 105 million views on her YouTube channel. They collaborated again next year following their success with ''Otrove'' on her song ''Magija''. He was the producer and songwriter for her songs ''Halo'', ''Daleko ti kuća'', and ''Tutorial'', for her album ''Halo'' released in 2019.

Eurovision

Jala represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 by co-writing and performing " Ljubav je" together with Dalal, Deen and Ana Rucner. Despite a strong performance, they finished 11th in the first semi-final with 104 points, narrowly missing qualification for the grand final, as only the top 10 from each semi-final advanced.

Personal life

Jala Brat has been married to Alma Ikanović since 2017, and the couple resides in Sarajevo. His longtime friend and musical collaborator, Buba Corelli, served as the best man at their wedding.

Political engagement

During Bosnia and Herzegovina's 2016 municipal elections, Jala Brat ventured into politics by running for a seat on the Municipal Council representing the Party of Democratic Action (SDA)."Kandidati na izborima: Glumci, pjevači, glazbenici, nogometaši..."
/ref> His candidacy drew significant public criticism, particularly from fans and the broader audience. Despite the backlash, he remained on the ballot. However, after failing to secure enough votes to win a seat, he ultimately stepped away from political life.

Discography

Studio albums

*''Riječ na riječ'' (2012)
*'' Pakt s Đavolom'', with Buba Corelli (2014)
*''Stari Radio'', with Buba Corelli (2016)
*''Kruna'', with Buba Corelli (2016)
*''Alfa & Omega'', with Buba Corelli (2019)
*''Futura'' (2021)
*''GoodFellas'', with Buba Corelli (2023)
*''Goat Season: Final Chapter'', with Buba Corelli (2024)
*''Roze suze'', with Buba Corelli (2025)

Extended plays

*''Replay'' (2011)
*''Mahala'', with Shtela (2012)
*''Sin City'', with Buba Corelli (2013)
*''99'' (2019)
*''Goat Season (Part One)'', with Buba Corelli (2024)
*''Goat Season (Part Two)'', with Buba Corelli (2024)

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Promotional singles

Other charted and certified songs

References

External links

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1986 births
Living people
Singers from Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina musicians
Bosnia and Herzegovina rappers
Yugoslav people
Bosniaks of Bosnia and Herzegovina