The cream of the crop? Well, that’s subjective. But it is fair to say that Kasta are one of, if not the most, popular act in Russian hip-hop. And rap music, while not as popular in Russia as elsewhere in the world, is a fast-growing genre. Moreover, Kasta have to be given credit as pioneers. The trio from Rostov-na-Donu has been around since 1996 – a time when homegrown hip-hop was still very rare.

These days Kasta are a well-known band. Their numerous albums have achieved an impressive level of commercial success and their songs regularly feature on movie soundtracks and the like. The song ‘Goryachee Vremya’ (see the video below), which featured on the soundtrack for the 2002 action hit AntiKiller, was a particular boost to their fame.

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