Ellipsis (group)

Ellipsis is a Russian rap group from Moscow. Fans and critics attributed this group to genres such as gangsta rap ("hop-hip-hop") and political rap. The author of most of the texts and the unofficial leader of group is Rustam Alyautdinov — "Rustaveli". Under the name "Ellipsis", the band released three numbered albums, as it was conceived back in 1998: three dots — three albums.

The group "Ellipsis" took part in Rap Music in 1999, but did not take the prize. The winner of the Grand Prix of the festival "Micro 2000", at the same festival MC L.E. became the winner in the competition of freestylers. At the "Adidas Streetball Challenge 2001" the band took third place.

In 2006, the breakup of the group was announced, and the group in a frequently changing composition (the only permanent member was its leader Rustaveli) continued its creative activity under the names "DotsFam" and "Ellipsis Band".

Composition

The composition of the group is given according to the official website as of October 2021.

"Ellipsis Band"

• Rustaveli (Rustam Alyautdinov);
• DJ Hassan;
• Grel (bass);
• Andre (guitar);
• Zheka GoodKoFF (guitar);
• Victor (keyboards);
• Lech the Eagle (drums);
• Alexey Shcherbakov (saxophone);
• Julia Antonova (vocals).

"Ellipsis / DotsFam"

• by Rustaveli;
• DJ Hassan;
• MC L.E. (Illegal; Lasha Imnaishvili);
• Dinais;
• White Hot Ice;
• Jan Sun;
• dj Kostya NiceMan;
• Nekby.

Former band members

• Kuzmitch (MC 1.8; DJ Navvy; Ilya Kuznetsov) — arrangements, text, reading, backups, ideas;
• King Kong (Alexey Piskachev) — reading ("Boshki", "Who didn't get caught", "Wet Spot", "Turn") (mind 04.01.2006);
• Greek (Anatoly Grechikhin) (d. 22.02.2006);
• Tyukha (Andrey Tyrnov) — arrangement, guitars, design, vocals, lyrics, reading;
• Gene Thunder — text, reading, backups, ideas;
• L.BeeAtch (Byacha) — text, reading, backups;
• Dimon (Dmitry Korablin) — arrangement, text, reading;

• Gnome;
• Mikhail the Cabinetmaker;
• Sanchez.

Style

Since the formation of the collective, its members have decided to adhere to strict rules of the chosen line of behavior in creativity and in its implementation. Any attempts to use the name of the collective for dishonest earnings were denied. The organizers of the group's performances were obliged to prevent photo and video recordings that were not approved by the team. If this condition was not met, the concert was stopped, and the blame for the disruption of the concert fell on the organizers. However, over time, this faded into the background, since every second viewer had a phone with a photo and video camera with him. Also, for the entire period of creativity, the Ellipsis group has not shot a single video clip.

There was also a certain style of clothing of the participants — leather jackets, trousers, black shoes. According to the participants, this style was chosen for the reason that the black color is more conducive to the listener's full perception of the lyrics than the combination of different colors, which distracts.

His style of performance "Ellipsis" is called "Kuzminsky" in honor of the district of Moscow, where the group was formed.

History

Group formation

The Ellipsis group was created in Moscow. In 1997, Rustaveli, who wrote poetry, and DJ Hassan, who wrote electronic music, met and began joint creativity and rehearsals. Later, Grel, who studied at the same school with Rustaveli, joined them as a bassist, and Kuzmitch as a second recitator. Finally, guitarist Tyukha was invited to the band[18]. Also among the people who formed the basis of the group are Rustaveli's close friends King Kong and MC L.E.

The date of the appearance of the group "Ellipsis" is November 15, 1998, it was on this day that the first recording was made at the studio. The name emphasizes the understatement that sounds in many of their songs, the constant search for new ways of life .

Ellipsis is what opens the doors to consciousness for you, and which one to enter, which one to stay behind, which one not to enter at all is a personal matter for each of you… Secondly, the ellipsis is what remains after death.

Rustaveli in an interview.

First Albums (1998-2002)

Over time, L.BeeAtch, MC L.E., Gene Grom and Dimon were "recorded" in the group. Most of them were about 20 years old at the time. The band debuted at the Rap Music 99 festival. At this festival "Ellipsis" performed the song "Boshki" [source not specified 1443 days]. In 2000, at the festival "Micro 2000", the group acquired a new participant in the person of MC L.E. and took the Grand Prix. At the Adidas StreetBall Challenge 2001, the band performed the song "It Happens in Life"[the source is not specified for 1443 days], which soon got into the rotation of some radio stations (for example, Love Radio), after which the song "It happens in life" was released on the collection "Voice of the Streets 2". But since 2001, the Ellipsis abandoned this song, they stopped performing it at their performances. Rustaveli later commented on this episode in an interview:

I came up with this song in 1998, and rolled out my verse and chorus from the heart. It's about real feelings and about real events. And this, in my opinion, is a very soulful composition. But the unhealthy excitement that she caused, back then, in 2001, made it clear to me that it was necessary to exclude her from the repertoire... There was too much to say, and that much didn't fit with this song.

In 2001, the debut album "Life and Freedom" was released on the QuadroDisk label. Music criticism (journalists writing for the magazines Billboard Russia, Timeout Moscow and portal Rap.ru ) called the album "Life and Freedom" one of the greatest albums of Russian rap.

Until 2002, the group had a producer — Vladimir Ferapontov. It was he who gave the first album, "Life and Freedom", to the Quadro-Disc label, the profit from which the participants never received, giving the label the rights to distribute the album for six years. In the same year, the second album was released under the name "Atoms of Consciousness" with the song "Anguish in the soul", which became one of the main hits of "Ellipsis". In 2002, the members of "Dots" founded their record label "Dots Family Records", which was engaged in hip-hop music. It was used to release all subsequent albums of "Ellipsis" and related collectives, as well as collections of Russian rap, such as "Hip-hop Quarter" and "Rap Experiences", which included both collectives and performers close to the group, as well as young, unknown and promising teams who sent their demos by mail or gave them away during concerts.

"The Third Way" (2003-2005)

In 2002, the group met with the rap team "M.Squad" from Mitino. The idea comes to make a joint project, this association is called the "Third Way". At the beginning of the following year, the first album of the association "The Third Way" was released — "A piece of life (equal to five years)". As the album's booklet says, "The Third Way" is

the creative path of development, when a person chooses his own path and lives at the limit of the impossible. Sometimes it seems that he knows exactly when and how to act ("he leads" — they say about such people). A person is aware of himself and his place in the world — "knows what he is doing", he fixes his thoughts and actions.

In the same year, 2003, on the fifth anniversary of his band, "Ellipsis" releases a "third" album called "Unnatural", which consists of seven remixes from musicians close to "Ellipsis" and six new tracks. It follows from Rustaveli's interview that this album corresponds to its name — it is not dimensional, that is, it cannot be considered as the third album of the group. On this album there is a track "Ep-t" — the first joint work of "Ellipsis" and Mikhail Cabinetmaker (band "Mahogany").

In 2004, work began on the second album of the association "The Third Way", but M.Squad by that time ceased to exist as a full-fledged collective. Of the five main members of the band, only two participate in the second album — Dimon and Gnome. The "Mahogany Tree" and the "Change of Opinions" group from Voronezh are connected to the recording. MC L.E. returns from Georgia (who has been absent due to life circumstances since 2000) and is also involved in the work. The result is the album "The Third Way — Burime 12". In October of the same year, the maxi-single of the English—speaking member of the group, MC L.E., was released. "In spite of everything" (from English — "No matter what"). The CD includes 10 tracks, including intro and freestyle. 5 of them are remixes of the three presented compositions, headed by the song "In spite of all". The music is entirely produced by Kuzmitch, Dimon and Kapus.

In early 2005, after seven years of work, the album "Distances" by the group "Windows" was released. This is a project consisting of two people: the guitarist and arranger of the band "Ellipsis" — Tyukhi, and vocalist Farochka. The band works in the ethno-rock style with elements of trip-hop. Marina Tsvetaeva's works were used in the creation of the album.

Breakup of the band (2006)

In May 2006, the solo album MC L.E. — "Illegal" was released, in which Rustaveli, Mikhail Cabinetmaker, Kapus, S.S.A., "Fleur" took part. Lasha himself, Kuzmitch and Fat Complex worked on the music. On the song "Someday" with the participation of S.S.A. ("Change of Opinions") a video clip was shot. After the release of the album, MC L.E., tired of the "illegal" life away from home, returns to his homeland, leaving his second self in Russia — named Illegal, who will rap in Russian.

In December 2006, it was reported that the Ellipsis group was ceasing to exist. The breakup of the band was confirmed when an interview with Rustaveli appeared on the official website of Dots Family Records. The reasons why the group curtailed its activities have remained undisclosed. It was only stated that Kuzmitch left on his own (later it will become known that he is now DJ Navvy, MC 1.8).

I'm tired of being the way I was then. And it's not even about the role, but rather about myself. In order to stray from the right path, it is enough to make a few small mistakes, entailing a whole heap of large and very unworthy ones. I don't care about the role, and in general you can do anything, rap or twist nuts, the main thing is to remain human.

Kuzmitch in an interview Rap.ru 2007

Gene Grom chose to pursue law, interrupting his career. MC L.E. was forced to stay in Georgia due to another aggravation of Russian-Georgian relations. Lyuba (L.BeeAtch) preferred to devote herself to her family, in 2010 she gave birth to a son. Keeps in touch with Kuzmitch, Grom and Rustaveli. In addition, in 2006, two members of the group passed away, among them Rustaveli's closest friend and colleague, who was at the origins of the creation of the team — King Kong.

In March 2007, the third numbered album "Dots" was released — "For the Infinity of Time", which is essentially a solo work of Rustaveli, not the team.

The Ellipsis, purely as an Ellipsis, completes its journey with this album. And I think it was a worthy path. And I don't regret anything.

Rustaveli in an online interview in 2006