Croatian flava

Most of you don't know where the fuck Croatia is, some of you even do, so big props to you!
In the south-east Europe there is a small country, where hip-hop culture came in the late '94. Maybe it would came earlyer if it wasn't for that god damn war that Serbs started. It all started through radio show hosted by two dj's: Phat Phillie and FRX. That was basically step in the stone. Soon after that they formed a crew called Blackout, which contained B-boys, Writers, producers and normally MC's.
I'll cut this topic into several parts and today I'll just give a taste how does it sound. The first LP they droped was: Young Lordz - Wake Up in the midle of '95. It never came out as a official release, but it was still treated like it was.
Here's a track from that LP called Hood's anthem live. Interesting thing about this track that Target, croatian MC was rapping in english. Production is on the level but I can't say that for his lyrics. It was his beginning so have that in mind when you listen to it.
Young Lordz - Hood’s anthem live
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XCPCT5UY
In the end of the track you can hear him giving shoutouts to YO clan posse ( the dopest croatian team of writers with the headmaster Lunar (www.lunar75.com)), Slavin Balen who introduced Croatia with Grandmaster Flash and such, Ugly Leaders, T.B.F....

Than they realized that rapping on english isn't the best solution so they continued rapping on Croatian. Young Lordz (Target, Real Phast and Shot) than split up. Target formed a group with General Woo called Tram 11. They made 2 great albums, from which "Čovjece ne ljuti se" lp is considered as a one of the best Croatian rap album. Koolade, Dash and FRX produced the albums. The tracks are just previews, just the first verse and the chorus.

Tram 11 – Kog je briga za vas
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8D6J3NGL

Tram 11 – 10 000
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SOHJCG83

Tram 11 – Malu na stranu
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1HW73DGN

Tram 11 - Udri brigu na veselje
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FA770ANW

After that all started going well, Shot formed a group Elemental along with Remi (female MC and singer) and Ink. They are my favorite domestic group because they sound like Common, Talib and Foreign exchange in one. It's a shame you can't understand them, they lyrical skillz are equal to Masta Ace's.
Anyway here's a preview of their work, much more soulful than tram 11.

Elemental - Dal sjecas se
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HDUP81S7

Elemental - Elementalitet
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8ZOLYFG0

Idemo lagano dalje
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CT19SGMN

There's a lot of other MC's that helpt to build the scene. The capital city of Croatia Zagreb was and still is the strongest in rap culture, but from the begining T.B.F. , group from Split and Ugly leaders from Rijeka had their fair shares to spread the culture through whole country.
Here's some T.B.F. sound, it's kinda different, they experiment a lot:
T.B.F. - Genije
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S0Z0OUMV
T.B.F. - Zivot je lijep
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NSENVQV4

I forgot to mention that these lp's didn't came out right after the young lordz. Those groups formed and they all put their raps on the Blackout project compilation. Few years later Blackout crew had another project simply called Blackout 00 but this time they regrouped a little. My perception of Blackout is more like a family than a crew because the crew was only FRX, Stupni, Nered and El Bahattee and a family is much bigger: the crew plus Tram 11, Bolesna Braca (Sick Rhyme Sayazz), YCP crew, the B-boys, producers...
Here's some tracks from the crew:
Prva Petorka - Da da da
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9LUPEOLE

Nered - Odjel za narkotike
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OL4XSXWG

Nered - Laske de Marco
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AJJGHW17

Nered - Cuvari Doline Ft. Remi
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=O3Z7UJS8

El Bahattee - Jedna Ljubav
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=08VQQGZ4

El Bahattee - Noc pecenih volova '91
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KIVX4EFV

Feel free to leave comments and I have to apologize for bad grammar.
Next time I'll write about Croatian producers Koolade, Dash, Baby Dooks, Urban spirit...
Peace
Phatsoul