Rahim – the story of one of the biggest legends of Polish hip-hop

Rahim is a figure whose story is inextricably linked with the development of Polish hip-hop. As one of the genre’s pioneers, Rahim created music out of passion, becoming part of the legendary Paktofonika and pursuing many solo projects. His story is inspiring and shows how far Polish rap has come – from underground scenes to becoming one of the most popular music genres.

Rahim – Story

The history of hip-hop in the United States dates back to the 1970s, when African American youth living in the Bronx gave birth to this culture. Hip-hop began gaining popularity at so-called block parties – improvised music and dance gatherings. DJs would play a few-second rhythmic phrase from well-known vinyl records, loop them, and combine them into longer sequences using two copies of the same LP. The first hip-hop tracks, though simple, are still considered iconic today.

The golden age of hip-hop, however, was the 1980s, when artists such as Ice Cube and Public Enemy appeared on the scene. In the 1990s, hip-hop evolved — new styles and subgenres emerged, and the music scene began to divide into different hubs across various US states.

Hip-hop arrived in Poland much later, only in the 1990s. Many people believe that the first Polish hip-hop track was Kazik’s song Na mojej ulicy from 1993. At that time, young Poles, lost in the reality following the fall of communism and economic transformation, began to find their voice in hip-hop.

It was during this period that Rahim – real name Sebastian Salbert, born in 1978 – was growing up. When Kazik’s track came out in 1993, he was 15 years old, and just a year later, at the age of 16, he began his music career. In one interview, Rahim recalled that as a young boy, he became interested in music production. Using an Amiga 500 computer and a homemade sampler, he created his first beats. Soon after, he founded the group 3xKlan, performing alongside Matho Radamez and Bak – one of the first beatboxers in Poland.

3xKlan – Pozytywka (Rahim on the second verse)

The first 3xKlan concert took place at a friend’s birthday party, where the band performed for twenty people on a stage made of pushed-together tables. This is what the beginnings of Polish hip-hop looked like – no big budgets, just passion and a love for music.

In 1995, 3xKlan released their first demo, titled Demo 1995. It consisted of five tracks, but unfortunately, the recordings have not survived to this day. A breakthrough in the band’s career came with their collaboration with Kaliber 44. This partnership led to the track Psychodela, which appeared on Kaliber 44’s debut album. It also marked 3xKlan’s phonographic debut. Additionally, Rahim composed the music for the song Moja obawa (Bądź a klęknę) from the same record.

In 1996, 3xKlan independently released their second demo, titled 3X, which featured three tracks. Around the same time, Rahim launched a solo project called MZD, collaborating with Kams, Lele, Kew, and DJ Bambus. Together with 3xKlan, they recorded the track Rymologia.

In 1997, 3xKlan signed a contract with the record label S.P. Records, which led to the release of their debut album, Dom pełen drzwi. The album received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Fryderyk award in the Album of the Year – Rap & Hip-Hop category. Unfortunately, it failed to meet commercial expectations – not only did the musicians earn nothing from the album, but they also had to cover part of its costs themselves.

A year later, Magik left Kaliber 44 and invited Rahim to collaborate. At first, Rahim tried to juggle playing in both bands, but eventually decided to join the new project with Magik and Fokus. That’s how Paktofonika was born.

Rahim and Paktofonika

Paktofonika was formed in 1998. The hip-hop-loving musicians quickly began creating tracks together, such as Priorytety, Ja to ja, and Gdyby. These songs were so good that the band signed a contract with the record label R.R.X. However, due to numerous misunderstandings, the contract was terminated before the group could release their debut album.
Fans had to wait until 2000, when Paktofonika signed a new deal with Gigant Records. That same year, the group released a compilation titled Usta Miasta Kast.

Their greatest success came with their next project. On December 18, 2000, Paktofonika released Kinematografia – their debut album, which became an iconic record in the history of Polish hip-hop. The album featured tracks like Chwile ulotne and Jestem Bogiem, which gained massive popularity and made it onto the charts of Polish Radio.

A tragic event that left a permanent mark on the band’s history — and on Polish hip-hop as a whole — occurred on December 26, 2000, just eight days after the release of Kinematografia. At 6:15 a.m., Magik jumped from the ninth floor of his apartment building. He died half an hour later in the hospital. His death deeply shook both his friends and fans.

Rahim and Fokus faced criticism from some fans who claimed they hadn’t recognized Magik’s poor mental state and failed to react in time. However, in one interview, Fokus admitted that they had no idea about Magik’s depression. This tragic story highlights the importance of seeking psychological help in times of crisis, as depression is often invisible.

Kinematografia was a huge success – it reached second place on the OLiS chart, sold over 100,000 copies, achieved platinum status, and won a Fryderyk award for Album of the Year – Hip-Hop.

After Magik’s death, Rahim and Fokus didn’t immediately dissolve Paktofonika. The band went on to release the Jestem Bogiem EP and a second studio album titled Archiwum Kinematografii – both as a tribute to Magik.

In 2003, the band officially ended its activity, but shortly afterward, Rahim, Fokus, and DJ Bambus started a new project – Pokahontaz. The group released six studio albums, with the first coming out in 2005 and the most recent in 2019. Their records often reached high positions on the OLiS chart, and three of them achieved gold status.

Paktofonika – Jestem Bogiem (Rahim on the second verse and the second chorus)

In 2012, a film based on the story of Paktofonika was released – Jesteś Bogiem. The production was met with critical and public acclaim, winning two Golden Eagles: one for Best Editing and another as the Audience Award.

The film powerfully depicted the lives of Magik, Rahim, and Fokus, and to this day it is highly regarded for both its execution and its moving story. In 2022, Fokus and Rahim returned to performing under the Paktofonika name. They played numerous concerts in Poland and abroad, reminding fans of their legacy and lasting impact on Polish hip-hop.

Solo Career

Although Rahim is best known for his work with Paktofonika, his solo career is also rich with numerous musical projects. The first of these was the 2002 production album Eksperyment: PSYHO. The record featured seventeen tracks with guest appearances by rappers such as Fokus, O.S.T.R., and others. It was also the last Rahim album released under the Gigant Records label.

Rahim’s most recent album is ARKanoid, released in 2020 in collaboration with Abradab and Kleszcz. The album includes twelve tracks. However, Rahim’s biggest commercial success was the 2015 record Optymistycznie, which achieved platinum status – a testament to his massive popularity.

Rahim remains an active musician, regularly performing at concerts attended by crowds of fans – both of Paktofonika and his solo work. Undoubtedly, he still has one of the most distinctive voices on the Polish rap scene.

Rahim – Fejm

He remains active today, even as rap – though no longer necessarily in its classic hip-hop form – has become one of the most popular music genres in Poland. Rahim has stayed true to the sounds and values of the music he fell in love with back in the ’90s.

Every rap fan should know Rahim’s story – not only because it’s inspiring, but because it also shows the difficult path Poland’s first hip-hop musicians had to walk for the genre to reach the popularity it enjoys today.

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