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| From
Russia With Love
author: MC Rage There's a first time for everything, and this was my first time to go to Russia. The funny feeling started while I was still in Italy and I went to pick up my Visa at the Russian consulate. I am American and was a soldier in the American army from 1986 until 1991, so the last place I thought I would be going is Russia. I was educated in the American school system and Russia was not considered a friendly place. I can still remember all that bullshit that we were taught during the cold war and even today when you hear about Russia on TV it's all about crime and hungry people. I did not know what to expect, what to think or how the people would be. I was told that MC Rage is like one of the biggest hardcore heroes in Moscow which has a population bigger then the whole province where I live in Italy. Needless to say I couldn't say no and when I was called I had to go to Russia. Placid K and I departed from Milan on the 16th of January during a strike at the airport at about 11:20 am. As the plane took off from Milan my last thought was "Hope I get to see this place again". The custom officers where one hell of a cold blooded race. I never
seen any of them smile or show any sign of being human. In the plane
they gave us a card to fill out on which we had to declare everything
from how much money we had in our pockets to what we had in our
bags. The whole thing was kind of like being in some cheap Hollywood
movie, and I have to admit that I was nervous as all hell. Our bags
came through and we even made it past customs. Just beyond the arrival
doors DJ Or-Beat (Russia's number one hardcore DJ) and DJ M!ke (one
of Russia's drum & bass dj's) picked us up and we headed to our
home for the next two days. Wow, I was in Russia, driving around
Moscow and the feeling was wicked to say the least. There we were in the biggest techno radio station in Moscow and the DJ was playing some extreme hardcore from Industrial Strength. Every now and then I heard a radio spot talking about the party where I would be going the next day. Don't ask me what the spot said because it was in Russian but I could hear my "Fuck Macarena" track and I knew it was for the party on Saturday. The questions were the same as always, a few personal questions, a few about how I got into the records business, one or two about how I came up with the idea for "Fuck Macarena". Someone even ask about hip hop and how the situation was back in America. The really cool thing about the interview was the fact that people actually called in on a beeper and it was them who ask the questions. Saturday started with a trip to "Red Square" with DJ M!ke and
Placid K. Then it was off to the party which started at 6:00 pm.
That's right 6:00 pm. wild right, that's what I thought since there
has been some days where I don't even get out of bed before 6:00.
It seems that the parties are for the younger generation and start
at 6:00 because they end at 12:00. Placid and I did a sound check
and then got the hell out of the way as the doors to the hardcore
room opened. The beats where hard and at about 170 Bpms as the people
quickly filled the room. The average age must of been around 15
and the records played where mostly Dutch Hardcore. DJ Or-Beat and
his dj-team played tracks from DJ Isaac, Neophyte, and labels such
as Ruffneck, ID&T, and D-Boy. The crowd loved to jump up and down
to the beat and even appreciated prodigy in the middle of the set.
The host emcee--who has a name incredibly hard to spell--would even
have the dee jay stop the music while he talked to the crowed--Try
that in Italy and your a dead man for sure. I was told that it was
time for our performance and Placid K and I took the stage as thousands
of Russians looked on. I ask if they could understand me and they
yelled out loud as if the world had come to an end. The people had
that enthusiasm like when hardcore first started way back in the
day. The jumped and yelled pushing there way closer to the stage.
People threw there hands in the air and danced wildly while the
lights flashed and the music rocked the room. Russians don't gabber
it's more like in Italy where they just kind of jump around. The
party was great and I loved every minute, the crowed was young but
they loved the music. During the same party there were also two
other rooms one of which was Trance/Techno and the other Jungle/Breakbeat.
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| About author:
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| MC
Rage
No doubt the American that has done the most for the Italian hardcore scene. MC Rage first came to life with the track Fuck Macarena back in 1996. This was one of the top selling hardcore songs ever published, it made it's way to the #8 position in the Dutch sales chart and continues to be heard around the world for years to come. Released on ID&T in the Netherlands and D-Boy records in Italy, it quickly made MC Rage world- renowned. This, however, is not the first production that bears the voice of MC Rage. He began his musical career in 1991, where he was the feature MC to Digital Boy. He went on to participate by either writing or performing three additional top 10 hits before ever being known as MC Rage. Rage is now known by his highly energetic and dynamic performance on hardcore stages such as : Thunderdome, Mystery Land, Masters of HardCore, Number One, Digital Hut, The Compton Rave of 92, The Parkziech, Ravestorm, Resurrection UK, Limelight, Hardcore VS Jungle in Moscow, and many more. MC Rage has definitely been the voice of Italian Hardcore and continues today in acting as a driving force behind the hardcore movement.
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| Placid
K
This young DJ/Producer was one of the very first to sign with D-Boy Black Label. He began his quest for hardcore as a fan cheering on the likes of Digital Boy and MC Rage. In the years that followed, he too became a hero of hardcore. Other than his numerous productions that have been heard at Raves worldwide he has performed together with MC Rage in the United States, Italy, Russia, and the Netherlands, just to name a few. He is a champion of the turn-tables and has spun records at events such as: Evolution, Gheadrome, Thunderave, Resurrection, Mystery Land, and in most of the major events held in Europe. His productions have been in the top hardcore charts and on the very best mixed compilations such as Thunderdome and 100% Hardcore. Placid K now stands as one of top Italian hardcore producers known to man.
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| P.S.
After returning back to Italy, under the impression of the amaizing party in Moscow, MC Rage and Placid K recorded a song dedicated to the Russian hardcore people. This track was called "Hey Russia" and released on D-Boy / So-Real Records. Here is the lyrics: "Hey Russia" Hey Russia Russia where you at Hey Russia Russia where you at Moscow Moscow you my Russian dream I love you from the heart cause you hard to the core Listen to my beat don’t it sound phat Hey Russia Russia where you at
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