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As public figures, rap artists with Ukrainian roots have come under scrutiny since the outbreak of the war. Are they pro-Ukraine or pro-Russia, or have they remained silent? One thing is clear: making music for both a Ukrainian and a Russian audience is no longer possible.

Post-punk first emerged in the (post-)Soviet space in the 1980s and was originally an apolitical, nihilistic musical genre. Today, however, fans are increasingly discovering political references in the lyrics. Is post-punk becoming more political, and if so, what does this mean for musicians living in authoritarian states?

With millions of clicks on YouTube videos, Tatar rap is now popular far beyond the borders of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. For many artists, choosing Tatar is, not least, an expression of an ever-growing distance between themselves and the Russian language and culture.