Edo Maajka

Edin Osmić was born and raised in Brčko (at the time SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) where he finished elementary school. In 1992, when the Bosnian War started, he left Bosnia and Herzegovina and went to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, where he began attending high mechanical engineering school.[1] After the war, he returned to Bosnia to study criminal law in Tuzla, but never graduated.[1]

He took an interest in hip-hop when he was in high school and began to do rap battling at the age of fifteen. He also recorded a few demo tracks, creating his own instrumentals by beatboxing. He went to Tuzla and became a member of the hardcore rap group Diskord, later named Odbrana (Defence in Bosnian). The group became one of the best in the city of Tuzla and all of Bosnia. Their demo single "Odbrana '99" (Defence '99) was the hit of the year on the "Radio Hit" station in Brčko.[1]

After a year of studying, he left school due to financial problems and returned to Zagreb to meet a friend (from the group Elemental) and recorded his first single "Minimalni rizik" (Minimum Risk) and, a month later, "Mahir i Alma". The songs were top hits on the Zagreb "Radio 101" station's show "Blackout" and the response was enthusiastic. The demo, "Mahir i Alma", became Kameleon's hit of 2001.[2][3]

Edo Maajka announced his debut album with the single Znaš me. He released his debut album, Slušaj mater, in the spring of 2002 under the Menart and Fmjam label. He released two more singles, Jesmo'l sami (Are we alone) at the end of 2002 and Prikaze (Spectres) at the beginning in 2003, which officially closed the album.[4] He was featured by other artists, such as in "Teško je ful biti kul" by Hladno Pivo, "Rat" by Pioniri among others.

In April 2004, he released his second album No Sikiriki. On day one, the album sold 5,000 copies.[5] He toured until the end of the year to promote his second album. In 2005, Maajka toured the US and Canada, visiting cities including Toronto, St. Louis, New York, Atlanta and Detroit, first time a Bosnian hip hop star has toured North America.[6]

Recording of songs for the third studio album Stig'o Ćumur (Coal's Arrived) started in August 2005, and the album was released in March 2006. The first single was "To mora da je ljubav" (It Must Be Love) featuring Remi from Elemental), for which he shot the music video in Sarajevo. He started the promotion of his third album at the end of March, the day his album was released.

In January 2007, Maajka's single "Bomba" was featured in an episode of the TV series Sleeper Cell.[7] In the summer of 2007, Maajka and his band decided to part, but remained good friends.[8]

His fourth album was released on 25 March 2008. The album's name was changed from Sjeti Se to Idemo Dalje. In December 2008 the album received the name Balkansko a naše. At the beginning of June he announced that he created a new band called TRNOKOP and the band premiered at the Rokajfest.[9]

At the end of 2008, "Balkansko a Nase" came at number 36 of the year's top albums.[10]

In June 2010, he released his best off album Spomen ploča 2002-2009, but he redid the album with his newly formed band, where they would use band instruments as the music and softer vocals.[11]

Edo Maajka was also featured as a judge and performer in the first Red Bull MC Battle that was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia on 23 April 2010. The next year, he was the host for the Bosnian Red Bull MC Battle 2011.[12]

Edo's fifth studio album, Štrajk mozga, was released in April 2012.[13][14] The first single was Imaš li ti šta para, followed by the first music video and second single Panika, released on 26 December 2011.[15] The third single was Džigera beat, followed by the fourth single and second music video "Facebook", released on 19 November 2012. The director Filip Filkovic Philatz, who directed both music videos, described the video being a sequel to "Panika" because it is set in the same universe, and is second part of the music video trilogy from the "Štrajk Mozga" album.[16]

Edo Maajka has named several artists that have influenced him, including Rambo Amadeus, TBF, Safet Isović, Miladin Šobić, Azra, Zabranjeno Pušenje, Disciplina Kičme, Atomsko Sklonište, Majke, Rupa u Zidu among others.[17]

His rapping technique is described as having a perfect flow,[18] also his varied subject matter, connecting with his audience, carrying a concept over a series of albums and got most praised for his ability to write brilliant lyrics.[18]

His lyrics have also been described as a variation in connecting emotionally to the viewer. As Anur Hadžiomerspahić says "once you start listening to a Edo Maajka song, when you first start listening it hits you, gives you goosebumps and grabs you by the throat, then the very next verse makes you laugh.[19]

Edo Maajka has an alter ego or pseudonym that he names MC Berbo.[20] He is described as a man who loves drugs, alcohol, fast and expensive cars, women and pop music.[20] Edo maajka stated that the character of Berbo is the complete opposite of himself and that it is more of a joke than taken seriously.[21]

Edo Maajka started his career with storytelling songs with the demo songs of "Minimalni rizik" (small risk) and the storytelling/love songs "Mahir i Alma". He is known for his brilliant storytelling ability.[1][18][22]

In September 2006, Edo Maajka opened up a cafe bar called "No sikiriki", named after his second album.[23] Along with beverages, the cafe also serves Edo's favorite food, cevapi.[24]

Along with the cafe bar, he also plans to publish a weekly magazine which will only focus on positive things that are happening in everyday life and the music scene.[25]

Edo Maajka released his first single and music video for his third album, named To mora da je ljubav, before his album came out, in which his producer Koolade used the song "Cissy Strut" from 1969 by The Meters. Some media outlets have criticized him for plagiarizing the music in the song. Edo answered back by saying "Sampling is not stealing. In hip hop you sample music, you take someones beat and rap on that beat. My album was postponed 1 week just because of that reason, while we waited for the authorization to use that song. The fact is that sometimes this waiting for authorization can be as long as one year, we redid the beat a little, gave credit to the author and not on us. You can see that the credit goes to the author on the inside cover of the album. Hip hop is made up of sampling, that is normal. On this particular track, Koolade is not named as the beat maker, but the author is.[26] Remi, who is featured on the song, also gave a comment on the issue, saying that "That is not stealing, we are dealing with sampling of a already made song. You take one part of a song and combine it with your text. People who are not in hip hop don't usually know that this is a practice in this type of music.[26]

Edo maajka held a concert in the Sports Hall (Dom sportova) in 2005. The sponsor for the concert was T-mobile Croatia. Edo held a press conference before the concert where he criticized his sponsors for the firing of workers after they changed their "brand".[26] He also explained his decision to work with a telecommunications monopoly by saying that he wanted his ticket for his concert to be 45 kuna or less.[26] He added "you can only do that with a compromise, no one is criticizing Hladno Pivo that they sold out because their sponsor for the tour was Ozujsko beer, whose owners are also foreigners".[26]

Bassivity (music label that released Edo Maajka's album in Serbia) promoted a concert for Edo Maajka, unknown to Edo Maajka. When Edo was asked about this in an interview for Svet magazine, he replied "I don't know where this idea that I will promote my album in Belgrade came from? "Bassivity" did that promotion on their own. I don't plan to go to Serbia, at least in the coming months. I don't want to go to a country that promotes the burning of mosques, and yet thousands of young people are howling on the streets. If I come to Serbia for an album promotion, which I promised to do, I am sure that it will not be for a while."[27] Svet also tried to bring some of Edo mistakes from the past to the light, in which they stated that he was supposed to have concert with Mile Kitić, but they never revealed the source for that.[27] In the same interview, Svet made some untrue and false accusations against Edo Maajka and his family, saying that his brother and sister "live from black marketing in Northern Bosnia" and that his close family live of pirate sales from his own albums.[27]

Edo Maajka was one of three artists that was featured in UNICEF's education program in Bosnia against HIV/AIDS.[28]

At the end of November 2005, a month after Edo Maajka premiered his video for the single Mater Vam Jebem on MTV Adria, HTV and Nova TV refused to air that video spot based on the name of the song and some theorized because the song's lyrics were critical of the countries leaders and the media.[29]

In 2004, a sex tape was released on the internet that featured pop star Severina and Croatian business man Milan Lučić.[30] Edo Maajka addressed this sex tape on the 2004 song "Kliše" (Cliche), in which he said "We all can rap, everyone can F*** Severina".[31][32] Severina answered back in her 2004 summer single "Hrvatica" with the lyrics: "rappers raise a revolt, your kids are listening to the wrong mother (Maajka)".[33] In the feud Croatian hip hop artist and producer Bizzo was almost pulled into the feud, as he was supposed to be in the video spot of the song "Hrvatica", where Severina calls out Edo Maajka, but after he talked to Severina, Bizzo found out that it contained those lyrics, mentioned earlier, and he backed out because he felt that it was a bad move on the part of Severina, but mostly because he thought the lyrics were geared towards the nationality of Edo Maajka, him being a Bosniak.[34] A number of media outlets have criticized Severina for only going after Edo Maajka, determining that she went after him because he was more popular than she was in Croatia, yet he is not a Croatian.[35] Also media have criticized her attack on Edo Maajka because others have made fun of her and named her in a number of songs about her sex tape, yet she failed to say anything to them, thus sustaining that the response to Edo Maajka was based on popularity and national orientation.[34][35] Ironically, on the same album the Edo Maajka takes a shot at Severina, he lends support to her when she left her record company, but then the same record company released a best off album of hers after she left and Edo Maajka on his single "Prziiii" states that "Come to Croatia Records we'll make you a male Severina, we'll release your album after you leave us", implying that the artist does not get any money from the sales.[36]

• Relevant songs:
  • Edo Maajka, 2004 album: No sikiriki, song: Pržiiiii
  • Edo Maajka, 2004 album: No sikiriki, song: Kliše
  • Edo Maajka, 2006 album: Stig'o ćumur, song: Severina

Matija Dedić did a song together with Severina, for which he was criticized by a part of the music scene.[37] In an interview Matija Dedić stated "blame the one that came from the countryside and who is packing the Sports Hall (sometimes concerts are held there)".[37] Edo Maajka answered him back by saying that "My man, you can come from the center of New York, but why are you blaming me because you worked with Severina."[37]

This feud started when Edo Maajka was appearing more and more on TV, especially Croatian TV, while other artists, not necessarily hip hop artists, like Siniša Vuco were not, as he claims "allowed".[38] Vuco said while describing one of his songs that the song in question is referring to Edo Maajka, calling him a Turk and criticizing him being on TV more than Vuco himself.[38] Edo Maajka simply answered back with a small reference to Vuco in his 2006 song "Uši zatvori" (Close your ears), where he said "For what reason did Vuco call me a Turk".[31][39]

• Relevant songs:
  • Edo Maajka, 2006 album: Stig'o ćumur, song: Uši zatvori

After the release of Edo Maajka's the second studio album, he was promoting the album, which featured a number of TV spots and TV exposure such as interviews, concerts, etc... Alka Vuica in an interview for Jutarnji list said that only intellectuals listen to her and that Edo Maajka "stinks of sweat and over the TV". In the same interview she supported Severina in her feud with Edo Maajka.[40] Edo Maajka also anwered back to her calling him out in the song "Uši zatvori" (close your ears), with "Why did Alka say that I stink over the TV".[31][39]

• Relevant songs:
  • Edo Maajka, 2006 album: Stig'o ćumur, song: Uši zatvori

• Slušaj mater (2002)
• No sikiriki (2004)
• Stig'o ćumur (2006)
• Balkansko a naše (2008)
• Štrajk mozga (2012)
• Put u plus (2018)

• Spomen ploča 2002-2009 (2010)

• Znaš me (2001)
• Jesmo'l sami (2002)
• Prikaze (2003)
• Zlatna dolina (2003)
• No sikiriki (2004)
• Pržiiiii (2004)
• Obećana riječ (2005)
• Ne-mo-žeš (2005)
• Mater vam jebem (2005)
• To mora da je ljubav (2006)
• Bomba (2006)
• To što se traži (2006)
• Rek'o sam joj (2007)
• Gansi (2008)
• Svi su ošli na more (2008)
• Sve prolazi (2008)
• Ove godine (2010)
• Fotelja (2011)
• Imaš li ti šta para (2011)
• Panika (2011)
• Džigera beat (2012)
• Facebook (2012)

In 2003, Davor Konjikušić and Mišo Babović made a documentary about Edo Maajka called "Trajno Nastanjeni Stranac" and it was a hit at the Zagreb Film Festival. HTV filmed a documentary about Edo called "Edo Maajka - Sevdah o Rodama". The documentary premiered 27 July 2007 on the Motovun Film Festival and Sunday, 28 October 2007 Edo Maajka - Sevdah o Rodama premiered on HRT. It was featured in the Bosnian Chicago Film Festival, Unerhoert Music Film Festival in Hamburg and MOFFOM in Prague

The following was the Edo Maajka's 2004 tour to promote his second album No Sikiriki.[41]

Date	City	Country	Venue	Notes
Europe
3 May 2004	Sarajevo	Bosnia
6 May 2004	Mostar	Bosnia
14 May 2004	Split	Croatia
15 May 2004	Slavonski Brod	Croatia
21 May 2004	Novska	Croatia
28 May 2004	Križevci	Croatia
29 May 2004	Čakovec	Croatia
2 June 2004	Karlovac	Croatia
4 June 2004	Koprivnica	Croatia
12 June 2004	Zagreb	Croatia	Šalata	101 radio concert
19 June 2004	Zadar	Croatia
8 July 2004	Zagreb	Croatia	Open air
9 July 2004	Krk	Croatia
16 July 2004	Koprivnica	Croatia
23 July 2004	Split	Croatia

This is Edo Maajka's North American tour that took place in 2005. This is the first time a Bosnian hip hop star held a tour in North America, specifically Canada and the United States of America.[42]

Date	City	Country	Venue	Notes
Europe
11 February 2005	Toronto	Canada	The Opera House
12 February 2005	Atlanta	United States	Platinum Room Club	The CBS center
18 February 2005	Detroit	United States	Club Coyotes Hamtramck
19 February 2005	St. Louis	United States	Europe Night Club
20 February 2005	New York City	United States	Club Casino

The first Australian tour. Produced by Knez and Archie Media. Supported by hip hop artist Frenkie, DJ Soul and hip hop artist Genocide.[43]

Date	City	Country	Venue	Notes
Europe
4 October 2013	Melbourne	Australia	The Colonial Hotel	Support: Frenkie and Genocide with Dj Soul
5 October 2013	Sydney	Australia	Manning Bar	Support: Frenkie and Genocide with Dj Soul
6 October 2013	Gold Coast	Australia	East	Support: Frenkie and Genocide with Dj Soul

The Štrajk mozga album tour.[44]

Date	City	Country	Venue	Notes
Europe
21 April 2012	Graz	Austria	P.P.C. Club	With Frenkie and Dj Soul, opening acts: Kid Pex (vienna), Jack Deep (graz), AykayY (leoben), LP One and Headmaster (graz), Alko (linz)
4 May 2012	Split	Croatia		with Frenkie and Dj Soul
5 May 2012	Mostar	Bosnia		with Frenkie and Dj Soul
11 May 2012	Zagreb	Croatia	Aquarius	with Frenkie and Dj Soul and guests: Kanđžija and dj Oli Doboli
12 May 2012	Tuzla	Bosnia	Sloboda	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
18 May 2012	Ravne na Koroškem	Slovenia	Club Direkt	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
19 May 2012	Bern	Switzerland	Jugend and Kulturzentrum Gaskessel	Support: Frenkie and Dj Soul, Guest stars: Lo and Leduc, organizer: Blackout Hip Hop
26 May 2012	Sarajevo	Bosnia	Dom Mladih	Dj Vadim (Ninja Tune, BBE), Baga Sound (FmJam), Dj Venom (Jabbaton), Dj Umbo (Goodgroove, Bombastic Jam), Audio InFunktion (Itison!FM), Repetitor VJz
30 May 2012	Ljubljana	Slovenia	Club Top	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
16 June 2012	Murska Sobota	Slovenia	MIKK	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
22 June 2012	Podgorica	Montenegro	Asfaltiranje Fest	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
23 June 2012	Zagreb	Croatia	HRepčuga	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
24 June 2012	Zadar	Croatia	Jadera Urban Music Fest	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
29 June 2012	Sarajevo	Bosnia	Cinemas, Sloga	Support: Frenkie, Kandžija and Dj Soul
12 July 2012	Novi Sad	Serbia	EXIT Festival	Support: Frenkie and Dj Soul
15 July 2012	Čakovec	Croatia	Čakovec	Support: Frenkie and Dj Soul
20 July 2012	Nikšić	Montenegro	Lake Fest	Support: Frenkie and Dj Soul
21 July 2012	Dubrovnik	Croatia	Park Orsula	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
29 July 2012	Ploče	Croatia	7 jezera	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
3 August 2012	Makarska	Croatia		with Frenkie and Dj Soul
4 August 2012	Brač	Croatia	Voi'Sa Festival	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
24 August 2012	Osijek	Croatia	Pannonian Challenge	Solo
25 August 2012	Hrastnik	Slovenia	Štour Fest	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
30 August 2012	Varaždin	Croatia	Špancir Fest	with Frenkie and Dj Soul
10 November 2012	Oslo	Norway	Gambla Beat Bar	featuring Dj Oli Doboli & Emire OG Lilebror