Antilopen Gang

Formed in 2009, Antilopen Gang is a German satirical hip-hop group that also flirts with various elements of gangsta rap. Made up of brothers Danger Dan and Panik Panzer, and additional members Koljah and NMZS, the four had begun working within hip-hop as early as 2005, having been members of the group Anti Alles Aktion, before moving on to form the new collective, for a while operating under the moniker Caught in the Crack. The quartet eventually settled on the name Antilopen Gang (Antelope Gang) — when questioned on the name’s origin from journalists, each member gave puzzling and contradictory answers as to where they came up with it; such insane answers ranged from apparent “boy scout experiences” to an inspirational meal that contained antelope meat at one of Christian Rach’s restaurants. As Antilopen Gang, the group put out its first effort, Spastik Desaster, in 2009 as a free download. The release featured the single “Fick die Uni,” which quickly became an online sensation. Subsequent activity saw each member put out solo material. Sadly, the ensemble reported the suicide of member NMZS in early 2013. In honor of him, they put out a posthumous solo release that he had been working on with producer Pitlab, entitled Der Ekelhafte. The gang returned to the studio in 2014 when they signed with JKP, the vanity label created by German punk ensemble Die Toten Hosen. The first release they put out under the label was the single “Beate Zschäpe Hört U2,” which went on to become a public talking point due to the song’s iconoclastic nature in criticizing the resurgence of right-wing views and extremism that had become apparent in some parts of Germany. Their second album, Aversion, soon followed up in the same year; the record was dedicated to the memory of NMZS. Designed to bridge the gap between album releases, the Abwasser mixtape was released in 2015. The year also saw the group receive a number of awards, including the VIA Award for Best Newcomer and the political Amadeu Antonio Award. Their third full-length, Anarchie und Alltag, arrived in early 2017. The album raced to number one on the German albums chart and received widespread acclaim for its eclectic use of humor and thought-provoking lyrics. ~ Rob Wacey