Bushido (rapper)
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Anis Mohamed Youssef Ferchichi, (born September 28, 1978), better known as Bushido is a German-Tunisian rapper. He also uses the pseudonym Sonny Black, based on Dominic Napolitano, not to be confused with the British blues musician Bill Boazman. Bushido has sold more than 5 million albums.[citation needed]
In 1998 Bushido started his career through demo releases and collaborations, with King Orgasmus One, Bass Sultan Hengzt and D-Bo over underground Berlin label I Luv Money Records. In 2001 released Bushido his demo album King of KingZ, which was re-released in 2003 as a digital version Aggro Berlin and 2004 as an extended version. In 2003 Bushido released his debut album Vom Bordstein bis zur Skyline, which reached #88 in the charts and became one of the first German 'gangsta' rap albums.
Biography
Early life
Bushido was born to a Tunisian father and a German mother. Bushido grew up with his mother and brother, in Berlin-Tempelhof district of former West Berlin. He attended Eckener Gymnasium, up to the tenth grade, and then changed to another gymnasium, before leaving school early,[1] and accumulated a criminal record for drug possession and vandalism. A judge ordered him to attend vocational training as a painter or face a jail term. During the training as painter, he met rapper Fler and both became friends.
1999-2001: Early career and King of KingZ
Bushido's career started in 1998, with several demo releases. 2000 released his first demo entitled Frauenarzt-Tanga-Tanga, where he had worked with King Orgasmus One and Frauenarzt.
In 2001 he formed together with King Orgasmus One, Bass Sultan Hengzt and D-Bo, the label I Luv Money Records, where he released his first official demo album King of KingZ. This led to him moving to Aggro Berlin, where he worked with Sido, B-Tight and Fler. The album got digital remastered and released on CD in 2003, titled King of KingZ (Digital Remastered) and in 2004 King of KingZ 2004 Edition with some remixes over ersguterjunge.
2002-2003: Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten and Vom Bordstein bis zur Skyline
In October 2002 he released the collabo album Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten, with Fler. They used the pseudonyms "Sonny Black" and "Frank White", which they took from the films Donnie Brasco and King Of New York. The name would appear to be a nod towards his American musical influence; in that country, Sonny Black was the mafia nickname of notorious Bonanno crime family mobster Dominick Napolitano.
In 2003 he released his first solo album Vom Bordstein bis zur Skyline. It was an enormous success for what was still basically an underground release. The album reached #88 in the media-control-charts and became one of the first German hip hop albums in the genre Gangsta rap.
2004-2005: ersguterjunge and rise to fame
In 2004, because of artistic differences regarding his future solo career, he left Aggro Berlin and signed at Urban/Universal, in the summer. In 2004, together with DJ Ilan, he produced a remix of the industrial metal group Rammstein's song "Amerika". In October 2004 he released his second album Electro Ghetto, which reached number six on the German charts. On April 4, 2005 he released his second collaboration album Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten 2, once again using his alter ego "Sonny Black" and recording with Baba Saad in replacement of Fler.
2006-2007: Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück and 7
Bushido won an Echo as the "Best Live Act" and a MTV Europe Music Award in the category "Best German Act" in both 2006 and 2007.
At the beginning of September 2006, his album Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück (also short VDSZBZ) released. It contains no features and the Singles are: "Von Skyline zum Bordstein zurück" (which was released the 18 August), "Sonnenbank Flavour" (which was released the 27 October) and "Janine" (which released the 9 February).
The second sampler ersguterjunge Sampler Vol. 2 - Vendetta was released the 1st of December 2006. It features artists who are signed to his label ersguterjunge. The only single of the sampler is called "Vendetta" and features Bushido, Eko Fresh and Chakuza.
In 2007 he won another Echo award as best hip hop/rap artist. His albums have earned platinum status in Germany, making him the most successful rapper ever in his homeland.
The album, 7 was released on August 31, 2007 pre-selling 100,000 copies in Germany prior to release, making it a gold record.
2008-2009: Biography, Heavy Metal Payback and Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten 2
Bushido released his biography Bushido on 8 September 2008 and his 8th album Heavy Metal Payback released 10 October. The album has already pre-sold 100,000 copies in Germany. The singles are: "Ching Ching", "Für immer jung" and "Kennst du die Stars".
As Fler left Aggro Berlin and the label closed down on April 1, Bushido reached out to his former partner to end their feud. The renewed friendship led to the production of a follow up of the 2002 album Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten. The album is titled Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten 2, distinguished from the 2005 album, which got recorded with Baba Saad. It is entirely produced by Bushido, most of the beats first being planned for the soundtrack of the movie Zeiten ändern dich. The album released on 11 September, with the single "Eine Chance"/"Zu Gangsta" and the video promoting it.[2]
2010: Zeiten ändern dich and the album
The movie Zeiten ändern dich was shot from 21 July 2009 to mid September, in and around Berlin. It was released on February 4, 2010. The movie based on Bushido's autography, in which he portrayed himself in a lead role. Uli Edel directed and Bernd Eichinger produced it.[3] After its release, the movie has been watched by 80.000 people, from the release date on.[4] The movie has been mostly negatively criticized, such as that Bushido's performance as an actor was "embarrassing" and that he doesn't have any acting talent. The production was described as "depreciative".[5]
The soundtrack to the movie, also titled Zeiten ändern dich, released on the 19 February 2010. It released as well as Bushido's 9th studio album as a solo artist and consists of 3 different versions.[6]
Controversy
Bushido's fan base include both immigrants and Germans, which has drawn caution and criticism in Germany. He is often criticized in the media for his misogynist, nationalist and racist lyrics and for refusing to reject some of his controversial fans.
Hip-hop has always been an expressive outlet for people across ethnic lines, primarily the underprivileged in the United States. This may give reason to the parallel between the United States and its macho persona in rap/hip hop music and Bushido's image or glorification of so-called Gangsta rap.[1] [2] However, some point to his partial North African ethnicity and collaboration with minority artists, like Azad, Eko Fresh and Cassandra Steen, as an evidence that Bushido is not racist. The Controversy was magnified by the line:
"Salutiert, steht stramm, ich bin der Leader wie A"
Salute, stand to attention, I am the leader like A.
- "Electro Ghetto"
The "A" is interpreted by many as referring to Adolf Hitler or the September 11 terrorist Mohamed Atta. According to Bushido "salutiert, steht stramm, ich bin der Leader wie A" is a citation from a rap by Azad and "A" stands for his name, who often calls himself "A". Bushido also called this a "willkommene Provokationsmöglichkeit" ("welcome chance to provoke").
Lawsuits for assault
More legal trouble ensued following an incident at a party in Linz, Austria on July 30, 2005. Upon discovery that his tires had been slashed, he and two of his bodyguards were involved in a physical altercation with a 19 year old Austrian male from Linz, who was left with severe head injuries.[7] Bushido blames the victim for damaging all tires of his BMW 7 Series. Bushido spent 15 days (August 3–18) in jail before being released on €100,000 bail. He ended up paying €20,000 to the Austrian courts and another €1,000 to the victim himself. It was during this time that it became publicly known that Bushido had been married to another woman for several years, when the judge questioned him on the topic. Bushido later denied the claims of his marriage.
Copyright infringement
Bushido garnered some press coverage when his record company, Universal Music Group, sued EMI over an alleged copyright violation that derived from similarities between the cover of Deutschland Gib Mir Ein Mic and Music Is My Savior, an album by American rapper Mims.[4]
In 2007, Bushido earned more international press coverage when he was threatened with legal action by the melodic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, who claimed that Bushido had sampled two of their songs without permission, "Mourning Palace" and "Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen". Bushido's songs named were "Mittelfingah" and "Engel".[8] Dimmu Borgir's manager was quoted as saying:
"Since we were not contacted by Bushido through proper channels and told about his desire to do this, it is clear that Bushido has seriously infringed our intellectual property rights."
But no case was brought forward against him. Two songs from the Liverpool band Antimatter had also been sampled by Bushido without permission, although this dispute was settled later before any legal action was taken.
September 26, 2008, Bushido was charged with international copyright infringement by the American gothic band Nox Arcana for copying music from three of their songs: "Beyond Midnight" (copied by Bushido on "Weißt Du?"), "No Rest for the Wicked" (copied by Bushido on "Kurt Cobain") and "Cthulhu Rising" (copied by Bushido on "Blaues Licht"). Nox Arcana's songs appear on their albums Darklore Manor (2003) and Necronomicon (2004). Bushido's album Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück (2006), which was re-released in 2007 after going Platinum in Germany.
Also the French band Dark Sanctuary accused Bushido of taking songs off their material without permission.[9] For his single "Janine" he used the melody off the song "Les Mémoires Blessées". On 23 March 2010, German courts convicted him in this case to a condemnation and obliged him to stop the sales of the concerned albums, singles and samplers, including Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück. In addition to that, he was bound to recall and destroy all unsold copies.[10]
2009 a video appeared on YouTube, where the user showed with 30 comparisons, that Bushido doesn't "compose" his own songs. The video showed first the version of Bushido and then the original, with the original artist.[11]
Bushido has also sampled two songs from Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows' album Dead Lovers Sarabande Face One, as was mentioned in a blog by Anna-Varney on her MySpace page.[12]
Feud with Aggro Berlin
The feud that began in 2004 between Bushido and Aggro Berlin is arguably the most renowned in German hip-hop history.[13]
Discography
Studio albums
Underground releases
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Compilations
Collaborations
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Tours
- Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten 2 Tour
- Zeiten ändern dich - Live durch Europa (2010)
Bibliography
- 2008: Bushido (biography)
Filmography
- Zeiten ändern dich (2010)
Sources
- Germany's Rap Music Veers Toward the Violent, New York Times, August 8, 2005
- Dimmu Borgir Accuses German Rapper of 'Stealing' Band's Music, Blabbermouth, November 1, 2007
- http://zeitzeuge.blog.de/2008/10/06/musik-bushido-klaut-nox-arcana-4830657/
References
- ^ Görke, André (2007-08-30). "Ich bin ein Spießer". Der Tagesspiegel. Urban Media GmbH. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Official album webpage
- ^ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido_(Rapper)#Karriere
- ^ http://www.hanniwall.de/bushido-zeiten-aendern-dich-film-kritik-trailer-kino-dvd/
- ^ http://www.hanniwall.de/zeiten-aendern-dich-die-filmkritik/
- ^ http://www.kingbushido.de/forum/showthread.php?t=12666
- ^ http://www.laut.de/Bushido
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz0qx2uF5hc&feature=related
- ^ http://www.laut.de/Dreister-Diebstahl/Metal-Bands-greifen-Bushido-an/26-03-2010
- ^ "Gericht lässt Bushido-Alben schreddern (Court enforces destruction of Bushido albums)". spiegel.de. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ The original YouTube video. Dated 2008-08-02
- ^ http://blogs.myspace.com/soporaeternusofficial
- ^ MTV report of the feud on YouTube Template:De icon.