Mikhail Krug born as Vorobyov (Воробьёв, the true family name literally means a
sparrow), was a
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n
singerSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, one of the leading singers of the style of songs known as
blatnaya pesnya (songs about criminals), or
shansonRussian chanson is a neologism for a musical genre covering a range of Russian songs based on the themes of the urban underclass and the criminal underworld. This song style, originally called blatnaya pesnya , has been popular in Eastern Europe ever since its first appearance in the beginning of...
, which has been part of
Russian cultureRussian culture is associated with the country of Russia and, sometimes, specifically with ethnic Russians. It has a rich history and can boast a long tradition of excellence in every aspect of the arts, especially when it comes to literature and philosophy, classical music and ballet, architecture...
since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Mikhail Krug was born in Morozovskiy Gorodok, a suburb of the city of
TverTver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
on April 7, 1962.
In 1987 Krug participated in a song competition, taking first place. As a result, he took up song-writing seriously.
By 1994, he had recorded three albums, which weren't released officially, but hundreds of pirate copies were distributed. Most of the songs found their way onto his later albums.
His first official release was
Zhigan-Limon (Жиган-лимон), which featured one of his biggest hits, "Kolshchik" (Кольщик). It took him three years until he settled on the final version. A significant portion of Mikhail Krug's songs invoke the secret code of Russian
prisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
s and the symbolism of prisoner
tattooA tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s. They describe the emotional emptiness and the despair of the prisoners who are separated from their families and loved ones. He also wrote many love songs, and songs about
TverTver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
. Krug liked to associate with criminal elements, which inspired his music and his diamond ring was a gift from the notorious criminal Khobot.
In writing his songs, Krug used a 1924 dictionary of underworld slang, compiled by the
NKVDThe People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
.
In the late evening of June 30, 2002, Mikhail Krug was fatally wounded in his Tver house by unknown intruders. He died in a hospital a few hours later.
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