Freundeskreis

Freundeskreis (Circle of friends) also known as FK is a German hip hop group from Stuttgart, whose songs are in German but also in English, French and Esperanto. The members are Max Herre, Don Philippe and DJ Friction.

They are a socially conscious German rap group. They have released three top twenty albums in the past ten years.^[1] The fact that they rap in multiple languages is actually quite common in German Hip Hop. One of the early rap albums, Krauts with Attitude, held only three songs in German. Meanwhile there were eleven songs in English and one song in French.^[2]

History

Freundeskreis

Freundeskreis (German for circle of friends) is primarily known for their political lyrics, in which they advocate equality and international understanding. After the much-noticed debut album Quadratur des Kreises (Squaring the circle) and its hit single "A-N-N-A" which peaked the German charts at #6, the band released their second album, Esperanto, named after the constructed language Esperanto. The reasoning for the name was that hip hop should be the Esperanto of the youth.^[3]

In 1999 and 2000 singles like "Mit Dir" (With you; featuring Joy Denalane, who would become Herre's wife later) and "Tabula Rasa Pt. II" brought the band back to the charts. For the soundtrack of 23, Freundeskreis covered the song "Halt dich an deiner Liebe fest" (Hold on to your love) written by Rio Reiser, voicing it on Lee "Scratch" Perry's police & thieves riddim. Freundeskreis was one of the first bands to take part in the Kolchose, a group of hip hop artists from Stuttgart.

In 2001, the band went into hiatus, and the members are pursuing their respective solo careers - the most active being Herre, who has since then released a solo album and works as producer for his wife.

A Freundeskreis greatest hits album is scheduled for July 2007.

Conscious lyrics

Freundeskreis can be considered conscious hip-hop as their lyrics have themes of education and equality. The Song "Leg Dein Ohr Auf Die Schiene Der Geschichte" (lay your ear on the tracks of history) asks the listener to look beyond what they are taught in a history lesson and learn the real lessons history teaches.

Excerpts from "Leg Dein Ohr Auf Die Schiene Der Geschichte^[4]":

viele Menschen schrecken zurück wenn sie "Geschichte" hör'n

Geschichte...

vier langweilige stunden pro Woche in der schule

(...)

neunzehnhundertdreiundsiebzig Geburtsjahr wichtig für mich

als auch geschichtlich denn da wurd' klar dass die C.I.A. 'ne hure war

rough translation:

many people step away when they hear "history"

History...

Four boring hours in school a week

(...)

1973, birth year, important for me,

as well as historically, because then it became clear that the CIA was a whore

The rest of the song takes into accounts other historical events, important to his year of birth as well as other events throughout his childhood which are often overlooked. The chorus implores,

you're just a part of it so get to the heart of it

'cause if you don't go you won't know

you're just a part of it get to the heart of it

'cause if you don't go you nevereverneverever gonna know

FK Allstars

FK Allstars is a collaboration of several hip hop soul, and reggae artists, including Max Herre, Sekou Neblett, Afrob, Brooke Russell, Joy Denalane and Gentleman. Despite the roots of the FK allstars band being in hip hop, there are elements of reggae, soul, funk and jazz blended in.

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

See also

• German hip hop
• Esperanto music
• Ich Zwerg

External links

• Four Music Label (German)
• Freundeskreis homepage (German)