La Familia
Encyclopedia
La Familia is a Bucharest
-based rap
group founded in 1995, among the first hip hop acts in Romania
. They established a national reputation by popularizing their style of gangsta rap
similar to B.U.G. Mafia
and distinct from R.A.C.L.A.
and Paraziţii
. The group gained notoriety after member Tudor Sişu was incarcerated for drug trafficking in late 2003, which lead to a public feud with fellow gangsta rap
artists B.U.G. Mafia.
.
By 1997 they had held concerts throughout the country. In 1998, their album Nicăieri nu-i ca acasă ("No Place Like Home") was one of the best selling albums in Romania, and with their video Tupeu de Borfaş ("Hustler Nerve") in heavy rotation in Romania for several months, they became well-known all over the country.
In 2003, Tudor Sişu was sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug possession and trafficking
.
The same year they had a feud with the well known rap-group B.U.G. Mafia in which they lost the rights to use "La Familia" as their official name after B.U.G. Mafia's producer, Tataee
, had registered the name with OSIM (the Romanian Office for Inventions and Trademarks) and asked for €15,000 to give it back. The single Foame de bani ("Hungry For Money") was released as a diss-track for B.U.G. Mafia (who never officially answered it).
In 2005 Sişu and Puya founded their own music label called "Scandalos Music" and Dj Wicked become part of the band. Puya said he was interested in signing not only rap artists, but any other talented musician who wants to collaborate with them. In 2006 they signed C.I.A., a rap group from Craiova
, and featured them on the Mai vrei? (You Want More?) track off the O mare familie (One Big Family) album.
In October 2005, Tudor Sişu was released on parole after serving 2 years, but he was arrested again in June 2006 by the police
on grounds of drug trafficking. He stayed in custody from June 2006 until October 2007 when he was released. As of the end of 2007 he is still awaiting trial.
In 2007 they settled their feud with B.U.G. Mafia in court and consequently their rights to use the "La Familia" name were reinstated. The official reason was that Tataee had registered the name with harmful intentions to the group's image and brand.
In 2008 Puya released his first solo album "Muzică de tolăneală şi depravare" featuring 14 Tracks, most of them produced by the multi-platinum German producer DoubleL. The first single "Viaţă nouă" features Keo & Laura. The album includes other guest appearances by Alex, Bibanu, Cabron, Cedry2k.
In 2010 the group released their first album under the "La Familia" name in 7 years. The album, named "Classic" and was supported by the single "Consecinţe" (Consequences) , with a video directed by If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
director Florin Şerban
that drew inspiration from and promoted the movie. The track was produced by Romanian
Spanish
-based producer Sagace.
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
-based rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group founded in 1995, among the first hip hop acts in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. They established a national reputation by popularizing their style of gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
similar to B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia is a Romanian hip hop group from Pantelimon, Bucharest, widely regarded as one of the seminal acts of gangsta rap in Romania. Founded in 1993, it was among the first Romanian hip hop acts.The original line-up consisted of Vlad "Tataee" Irimia, Dragoş "Caddillac" Vlad-Neagu and two...
and distinct from R.A.C.L.A.
R.A.C.L.A.
R.A.C.L.A. was a Romanian hip hop group...
and Paraziţii
Parazitii
Paraziţii is a Romanian three-man rap and hip hop group founded in 1994. It consists of Cheloo , Ombladon , and FreakaDaDisk .The group is largely known for their dark beats and political humorous lyricism.-History:The group was subject to multiple restrictions by the Romanian National Audiovisual...
. The group gained notoriety after member Tudor Sişu was incarcerated for drug trafficking in late 2003, which lead to a public feud with fellow gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
artists B.U.G. Mafia.
Overview
The group was founded by Tudor Sişu and Dragoş "Puya" Gardescu. Like many hip hop artists, they fought a hard battle for visibility and success. Sişu was raised by his mother and Puya was the youngest of four brothers, both from a dangerous periphery neighborhood of BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.
By 1997 they had held concerts throughout the country. In 1998, their album Nicăieri nu-i ca acasă ("No Place Like Home") was one of the best selling albums in Romania, and with their video Tupeu de Borfaş ("Hustler Nerve") in heavy rotation in Romania for several months, they became well-known all over the country.
In 2003, Tudor Sişu was sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug possession and trafficking
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
.
The same year they had a feud with the well known rap-group B.U.G. Mafia in which they lost the rights to use "La Familia" as their official name after B.U.G. Mafia's producer, Tataee
Tataee
Vlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
, had registered the name with OSIM (the Romanian Office for Inventions and Trademarks) and asked for €15,000 to give it back. The single Foame de bani ("Hungry For Money") was released as a diss-track for B.U.G. Mafia (who never officially answered it).
In 2005 Sişu and Puya founded their own music label called "Scandalos Music" and Dj Wicked become part of the band. Puya said he was interested in signing not only rap artists, but any other talented musician who wants to collaborate with them. In 2006 they signed C.I.A., a rap group from Craiova
Craiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
, and featured them on the Mai vrei? (You Want More?) track off the O mare familie (One Big Family) album.
In October 2005, Tudor Sişu was released on parole after serving 2 years, but he was arrested again in June 2006 by the police
Romanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
on grounds of drug trafficking. He stayed in custody from June 2006 until October 2007 when he was released. As of the end of 2007 he is still awaiting trial.
In 2007 they settled their feud with B.U.G. Mafia in court and consequently their rights to use the "La Familia" name were reinstated. The official reason was that Tataee had registered the name with harmful intentions to the group's image and brand.
In 2008 Puya released his first solo album "Muzică de tolăneală şi depravare" featuring 14 Tracks, most of them produced by the multi-platinum German producer DoubleL. The first single "Viaţă nouă" features Keo & Laura. The album includes other guest appearances by Alex, Bibanu, Cabron, Cedry2k.
In 2010 the group released their first album under the "La Familia" name in 7 years. The album, named "Classic" and was supported by the single "Consecinţe" (Consequences) , with a video directed by If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle
If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle is a 2010 Romanian drama film directed by Florin Şerban.-Plot:Romanian youth Silviu serves a four-year prison sentence. A few days before his release, his younger brother visits him and tells him that their mother has returned, who has found work in Italy and will...
director Florin Şerban
Florin Şerban
Florin Şerban is a Romanian film director whose film If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle won the Jury Grand Prix and the Alfred Bauer Prize at the 2010 Berlin Film festival...
that drew inspiration from and promoted the movie. The track was produced by Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-based producer Sagace.
Discography
- 1997 - Băieţi de cartier (Homeboys)
- 1998 - Nicăieri nu-i ca acasă (No Place Like Home)
- 1999 - Dumnezeu e băiat de cartier (oare?) (Single) (God is a Homeboy (Isn't He?))
- 1999 - Bine ai venit în paradis (Welcome to Paradise)
- 2000 - Ca la noi (As We Do It)
- 2000 - Strada mea (My Street) - Sisu's Solo Album
- 2001 - Familiarizează-te (Familiarize Yourself)
- 2002 - Pana la capat in felul meu (My way until the end) - Puya's Solo Album Unreleased
- 2003 - Zi de zi (Single) (Everyday)
- 2003 - Punct şi de la capăt (Period. New paragraph)
- 2003 - Viaţă bună (Single) (Good Life)
- 2004 - Foame de bani (Money Hunger)
- 2006 - Pune-i la pământ (Single) (Knock'em to the Ground)
- 2006 - O mare familie (One Big Family)
- 2007 - De 10 ani tot în familie (The Best Of) (10 Years And We Still In The Family)
- 2008 - Viaţă nouă (Single) (New Life, single of Puya's solo album)
- 2009 - Romanisme partea I (Undeva-n Balkani is the lead single of this Puya solo album)
- 2009 - Romanisme partea II (Change is the lead single of single of Puya solo album)
- 2009 - Vacanta in Mexic" (Holiday in Mexico, Sisu's second solo album)
- 2011 - Temnita Luminii" (The Prison of Light, Sisu's third solo album)