‘People Were Waiting for That’: Protest Rap and Public Mood in Bishkek

Figures & data

FIGURE 1. (left) Poster for 25 November 2019 Demonstration, Including Portrait of Raim Matraimov, Based on Obey Giant, by Shepard Fairey; (right) YouTube Visual of AP's Track ‘Million’.

TABLE 1 List of Protest Rap Songs Released in Bishkek, Autumn 2019–Summer 2020

Composer(s)	Title	Language	Date of release on YouTube	Topics	YouTube views (as of 15 August 2020)	URL
Belgisiz & Akai	‘Ay kim bilet?’ (‘Oh, Who Knows?’)	Kyrgyz	24 December 2019 (with a lyrics video)	Corruption, migration, ecology	13,700	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llNTyn3glgw
Biykech	‘Kyrk kyz’ (‘Forty Girls’)	Kyrgyz	28 February 2020 (video on 20 March 2020)	Violence against women, rallying	24,600	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0FP5fw6rV0
AP	‘Million’	Russian	29 February 2020	Corruption, rallying, ecology	13,400	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkGx1oSP49s
Belgisiz & Akai	‘Bizdin mafia’ (‘Our Mafia’)	Kyrgyz	1 March 2020 (video on 18 July 2020)	Corruption, migration	3,900	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8iTbRauUoU
Begish	‘Sayasat’ (‘Politics’)	Kyrgyz	8 May 2020 (with a video)	Corruption, coronavirus, rallying, migration, border issues	365,100	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VHsu82IkeU
Ulukmanapo	‘Vystrel v pustotu’ (‘Blank Shot’)	Russian	14 May 2020	Corruption, rallying, migration	682,700	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEnhhynDws4
SHXMDUK	‘Mama Freestyle’	Russian	17 May 2020 (with a video)	Violence against women, rallying	200	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcDUvPTlVNU
Aga-Ini	‘Parakor’ (‘Corrupt Official’)	Kyrgyz	29 May 2020	Corruption	10,300	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ehPGGiEoE8
Aga-Ini	‘Kechir bizdi ayalzat’ (‘Pardon Us, Woman’)	Kyrgyz	24 June 2020 (with a video)	Violence against women	4,300	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D__gVnbTHA
Bayastan, Begish & G-Voo	‘Kachan kaytat’ (‘When Will They Come Back’)	Kyrgyz	3 July 2020	Migration, rallying, corruption, violence against women	74,100	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrfiS7I_gOc
G-Voo	‘Otdavay’ (‘Give Back’)	Russian	3 July 2020 (with a video)	Ecology, rallying	8,000	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaNIXuxmJKs
SHXMDUK	‘#Tajadym’ (‘#IHaveHadEnough’)	Russian/ Kyrgyz	15 July 2020	Rallying	1,300	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQupPDgz800
SHXMDUK & XSerial	‘Uurda’ (‘Steal’)	Russian	23 July 2020	Corruption	500	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPxfx8Ur6AY
Begish	‘Bir zhakadan bash’ (‘United in Harmony’)	Kyrgyz	8 August 2020	Rallying, corruption, migration	37,100	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEvCW0laorY