Montenegrin rappers who have released new material in recent months were joined last week by Ilija Backović, better known in the hip hop world as Bacili.
Thus, at the beginning of March, the mini album "Izvan etera" arrived, which was created in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Bellerophontes (Strahinja Kovačević).
As the Montenegrin rapper explained in the announcement, this conceptual project was created as a fusion of hip hop and synth compositions, and brings an intimate look at life and art.
"The album was created as a live session for the Rokumentarne dane 2020, and in the studio version it is complemented by an animated film that is available on the YouTube channel. The audio version, which consists of five tracks (two of which are instrumental), is available on all streaming platforms. 'Izvan etera' was recorded and produced at the ChickenCoop studio in Nikšić, while the animation was done by Golam Mortuza - Choto Studio," the album announcement said.
In an interview with "Vijesti", Bacili told more about the album itself and the songs, the video animation that accompanies all five songs as a whole, but also about why "Izvan etera" comes after a long break and why we waited so long for new material.
"Has it been a long time? I haven't felt it," Bacila jokingly replies.
"I would like to sound wise now and say that everything happens when it's supposed to happen. But that's how it is. I wouldn't change a thing about it. I'm not the only one who spends most of his time outside of Montenegro, a good part of our musicians and artists work on a ship or abroad, so when you catch a break, start to boil, stir, or gather a little different experience, then you sit down, write it down, record and release an album, and back on the ship. Back to the machine. So, mostly because of my absence," he adds.
Five songs from "Izvan etera" were written back in 2020, but Bacili, in collaboration with Bellerophontes, refined them before release.
"Initially yes, but we've been refining them over the last five years. Strahinja enriched and completed them as the filming progressed. And then there's With the who did the drums on the song 'Rime i Razlog'. We worked, re-recorded, added instruments until we got what we were happy with,” explains the rapper.
"I would come to Nikšić for a few days, I would hang out at 'Kokosinjac' (ChickenCoop Studio) near Tobe i andra and worked until we got headaches! It would often be like... let's add something else... Thank you for your patience and the phenomenal atmosphere. We had the final versions at the end of 2023, beginning of 2024, and then we waited for the animation to be finished," Bacili continues.
When asked how the collaboration with Strahinja Kovačević (Bellerophontes) came about, the explanation begins with - That's an interesting story...
“That year 2020, my friends and I were sitting in a cafe one night, drinking quince. My friend Bojan offered me to do a live session for Rokumentarne dane. I said, well, if Strahinja will compose something, I'll write new lyrics - okay. I didn't even think we had made a deal then, and in the next ten days, we made three songs for Rokumentarne dane. It was great work. Corona was blowing around, lives on pause, inspiration at a level, willpower greater than ever... Eee doomsday promises", recalls Bacili.
He also reveals why he decided to publish this material as a whole with a video animation.
"Well, it made perfect sense to me. The whole album is meaningful and emotional. I wanted to tell the complete story," he says, and then explains who was in charge of the animated story that accompanies the songs and how the idea for the video came about.
"Golam Mortuza, a freelancer I met, is an animation author. I liked his work and he understood my story. I offered him to create the storyline and he would create the animation, so we worked together, complementing each other with ideas, etc. The kind of work I love,” Backović concludes.
Now that the hiatus is over, the rapper promises that more new material will be coming in the coming period.
"Well, yes, definitely. Now, whether it will be soon, I can't tell you," he admits.
Before Bacilije, other Montenegrin rappers, such as Apro (Snezana Nikčević), DJ Mono (Nikola Rajović), Labia (Bojana Petrović), Random (Marko Lubarda), JJ Okoča... but also many new faces, so it can be said that the hip hop scene in Montenegro has been "reactivated", so Backović also answers the question of what, in his opinion, encouraged them to work intensively.
"I would connect this with the answer to the first question. We all have periods of understanding and planning our lives so that we can catch that break and dedicate ourselves to the creative side. This applies to my old colleagues. Why we were seized by the will to work at the same time, I don't know, but I'm glad. I'm also happy because of the new faces, I like it to happen," says Bacili.
Bonus video:
