... in response to Re: Black BMW, posted by Gmen99 on Sep 28, 2004Yes, rap is quite popular here. But you can only hear "real" rap on some of the radio stations or from open flat windows or cars driving by, and occasionally in a restaurant. The clubs typically play house music, and M1 (the Ukrainian music channel on TV) rarely plays any rap. There are a lot of Ukrainian and Russian rappers, but most of them are not very good (within the context of being rappers, that is). They are more like Will Smith when he was the Fresh Prince--very mainstream and commercial. Although, last summer, Eminem's "Without Me" was a huge hit.
I am one of the furthest things from being a prude, but even I find it strange to hear some of the more explicit rap songs unedited in public. Most Ukrainians know all of the swear words in English, but these words don't have the power that native-language cursing has. My parents visited us last October, and we were eating at a nice restaurant when suddenly Eminem's "You Can Suck My D**k if You Don't Like My Shit" came on the restaurant speakers. I had to ask them to change the tape.
As far as the Beatles go, everyone loves the Beatles. I don't think I would trust someone who didn't. When my friends and I get a little sauced, we go to one of the many Karaoke places here and sing Beatles' songs. Everyone (friends and strangers) wants to join in and most know the lyrics.
People's taste in popular music here is basically freer and less structured. They like what they like. They have only had 13 years of real access to pop music, so chronology doesn't play into their tastes, and they don't have any historical associations with particular songs (this song is from the 60s, etc.) or feel that if they like this kind of music they can't like that sort of music. Basically, an 18 year old kid can have 50 Cents, Chuck Berry, Boney M, the Rolling Stones, Elvis, Enrique Inglesias, Black Sabbath, Britney Spears and Busta Rhymes all in the same record collection and not think the collection inconsistent.
Perhaps one of the most popular groups is a Ukrainian trio called "Via Gra"-- three extremely hot playboy-type women who writhe around the screen wearing skimpy outfits. Their songs are some of the crappiest music ever made. Still, for some reason, I can't help watching their videos.....
