Warheit

German rap group Warheit specializes in hard-hitting lyrics that are critical of society; for example, their first major hit, "Hölle auf Erden" (2007), lambastes the anti-terrorism policies and practices of the United States under the leadership of George W. Bush. Formed in 2002 and based in Frankfurt am Main, Warheit is comprised of Azad (who is of Kurdish descent), Chaker (Tunisian), Jeyz (Italian), and Sezai (Turkish). The leader of the group is Azad, who is a successful solo rapper and, along with Bushido and Sido, one of Germany's most popular. Azad made his album debut in 2001 (Leben) and began collaborating with Chaker, Jeyz, and Sezai as Warheit soon afterward; for instance, the Warheit collaboration "Ruhe vor Dem Sturm" is featured on Azad's second album, Faust des Nordwestens (2003). In 2004 Azad established his own label, Bozz Music, to which he signed his Warheit affiliates. One-off Warheit songs were released in the years that followed, and in 2007 the group released its debut album, Betonklassik. The album sold fairly well, breaking into the German Top 50, and it spawned the hit single "Hölle auf Erden," which was released as a maxi-CD. ~ Jason Birchmeier