Ozols Celebrates 30 Years of Latvian Rap with Arena Concert

This year marks a significant milestone for Latvian rapper Ozols (born Ģirts Rozentāls) as he commemorates three decades in the music industry with a special arena concert. The performance will reflect on his journey, beginning with his early work with the group FACT and continuing through his successful solo career.

A Pioneer of Latvian Rap

Ozols’s impact on Latvian music is undeniable. He released his debut album, Cieņa un Mīlestība, in the spring of 2001, widely recognized as the first full-length rap album in the Latvian language. According to Ozols, the songs from this groundbreaking album “are still playing” today. ahuuns.lv

A Prolific Discography

Throughout his career, Ozols has released eight solo albums:

• Cieņa un Mīlestība (2001)
• Higher, further, stronger (2002)
• Dūzis (2003)
• Independence (2009)
• Back to the future (2015)
• Neon city (2018)
• YAUDA (2020)
• 1979 (2023)

His 2023 album, 1979, was followed by a major concert at Arena Riga. Genius

Beyond the Album: Concert Film and Festival Performance

Ozols’s influence extends beyond album sales, and concerts. In April 2024, the premiere of the concert film From the district to the arena, directed by Rolands Rekke, took place. He also headlined the first day of the “Positivus” festival in July 2024. YouTube

Early Production and Influences

The album Cieņa un Mīlestība was created with a limited budget, utilizing underground recording studios like Bizness & Baltija, located in the Preses namā building, and the studio of Gints Lundbergs (Mēmais) in the Abava industrial district. Mārtiņš Burkēvics, the bassist for The Hobos, served as the sound engineer at Bizness & Baltija. ahuuns.lv