Russia: Alisher Morgenshtern, symbol of the break between the Kremlin and Russian youth

Russian rapper Alisher Morgenshtern in his music video "Pablo".

© Screenshot YouTube / MORGENSHTERN

Text by: Anissa El Jabri Follow

3 min

The Kremlin is definitely having a hard time understanding Russian youth.

Alisher Morgenshtern is - possibly - Russia's most popular rapper and left the country after multiple legal proceedings.

The Russian authorities even had to express themselves on his case.

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If you watch the clip of his songs, which have accumulated several hundred million views on the internet, you will probably tell yourself that the Kremlin does not have much to reproach Alisher Morgenshtern. The rapper has tattoos on his cheeks and forehead, big rings, he is dressed as often in a bathrobe and in these images he celebrates his affection for a pretty blonde on a yacht. In and of itself, nothing that wouldn't particularly raise eyebrows in the rap world and elsewhere.

In any case in Russia, it affects young people and each of its actions is commented on.

On the strength of his star status, Alisher Morgenshtern has advertised a bank that seeks to attract 18-25 year olds.

Much more controversially, he also agreed to lend his fame to 

by calling on his fans to subscribe to the accounts of Grozny's master's relatives.

The rapper justified himself by explaining that Kadyrov wanted to sponsor him. 

Propaganda in favor of drugs

This year, however, Alisher Morgenshtern found himself at the center of a cascade of legal proceedings. In the music video for one of his songs called "Pablo", he appears with automatic weapons and bags of cash. The link with the drug lord Pablo Escobar is quickly made and that in Russia, it is now prohibited. Last May, this therefore earned the star a conviction for propaganda in favor of drugs.

In November, he is targeted by new procedure for "promotion of parasitic lifestyle and deviant behavior".

But what placed him in great difficulty were above all his comments on May 9,

.

In an interview a few weeks ago, the 23-year-old said he couldn't understand why so many millions were being spent on an event dating back 76 years.

And he added, "

".

Escape to Dubai

This statement sparked a scandal in Russia where veterans filed a complaint and seized the prosecutor's office. You should know that since April 2021 in Russia sanctions can be applied for "public outrage to the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland".

This time the rapper fled the country, possibly to Dubai.

The presidential administration is said to be negotiating with producers for his return, a newspaper said.

The Kremlin spokesman himself had to deny Monday, but there is more and more talk now of the divide between power and youth.

In the polls, many young people say they want to leave the country.

This also provokes the joke of a Russian tour operator launched Tuesday on social networks in reference to these departures: "

" search for return flights "function.

 "one way" function »

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