Our editorial team’s attention was drawn to the work of Bolesławiec rapper Arkadiusz Kanibal, whose real name is Arkadiusz Orawiec, by a friend of his:
His second album premiered on November 12. His debut was very well received, yet none of Bolesławiec’s media outlets mentioned it, which I consider a huge loss.
She added:
The artist himself has been involved in several very strong collaborations, including tracks with DJ ZEL (who produced the entire album for Rychu Peja) and a beat by Ślimak (producer for Major SPZ and Trzeci Wymiar). It is also worth mentioning that [Arkadiusz Kanibal] he records all his projects at Wałbrzyskie Studio M23, where Trzeci Wymiar and Czesław Mozil have recorded (...).
Arkadiusz Kanibal is 24 years old and has two official albums to his name. But his hip-hop journey began much earlier, back in 2014. That was when he made so-called unofficial releases. – We used beats from the internet – the rapper admits.
For three years, he has been pursuing music professionally, “at a high level,” as he puts it. He has had several notable collaborations.
His first official album, titled “Księżyc” (“Moon”), premiered on November 12 of last year. The hip-hop artist says: – It was an album on which I decided to tie up many loose ends. I began working with a completely new team. And my musical life changed completely. I met people who are in love with music and who see potential in me. All my fears disappeared. I have the luxury of now focusing exclusively on music; Dawid and Maks from HIGHLINE_Crew take care of everything else.
He promoted his debut album at concerts. Surprisingly, not in his hometown. – I have never performed a concert in Bolesławiec – Arkadiusz says. – I’m eagerly waiting for that.
We asked why this was the case, since rap is currently the most popular music in the world. – The hip-hop I make is niche; this sound isn’t very popular. Spotify decided it was “alternative rap,” whatever that means – the Bolesławiec native laughs.
“Niebieskie światła” (“Blue Lights”), the artist’s second album, was released on November 12 this year. – It is a continuation of the ideas from “Księżyc” – the rapper admits. – That is why it worked out nicely that this album was released on the same day as the previous one.
Will the “third one” also be released on November 12, only in 2023? Time will tell. It is already known, however, that the new album will be titled “Cesarz” (“Emperor”) or “Młody Cesarz” (“Young Emperor”).
What inspires the Bolesławiec rapper? – It’s a very broad subject. One day it might be a funny phone call from a female friend; the next day, a serious political discussion – Arkadiusz says. – This will sound very narcissistic, but when it comes to the lyrics for the new album, my main inspiration was myself—my work on myself.
Favorite rappers? Arkadiusz Kanibal tells us that he is constantly looking for new sounds in hip-hop. Recently, Chivas caught his attention. But Wojtek Sokół has certainly been his longest-standing inspiration. – I absolutely love his lyrics – the Bolesławiec native emphasizes. And he immediately adds: – Szpaku’s new album is truly unique.
What do you think of Arkadiusz Kanibal’s tracks? We invite you to join the discussion.