Bažaješ smerti moskalju? Todi ïbaš joho v sobi. Note sul rap ucraino ai tempi della guerra su larga scala

This paper analyzes a selection of songs and music videos written and performed by Ukrainian rappers since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The artists under consideration are united by their deliberate use of the Ukrainian language and by their explicit support for their country. On the one hand, there is a substantial body of overtly militaristic rap, intended to bolster the morale of soldiers on the front lines and civilians in the rear, as well as patriotic rap that emphasizes national unity and foregrounds Ukraine’s cultural roots, often in opposition to stereotypical representations of local folklore. On the other hand, many tracks are concerned with the processing of trauma and the recovery of a seemingly lost sense of human warmth. Particular attention is devoted to the work of Palindrom, who explores contradictions within Ukrainian society in the context of the war.