Farid Bang, Kollegah and Co. criticize Spotify’s playlist policy

On Instagram, Farid Bang spoke out critically against the ranking of larger Spotify playlists. In doing so, he started a debate in which many other rap colleagues such as Kollegah and Sun Diego also took part. In their statements they refer, among other things, to the fact that the range of variation of the artists in the playlists is not correctly represented.

The trigger for the debate was the current track “BA3T” by Majoe, Kollegah and Farid Bang. Because although the track “reached number 1 on YouTube and has the most views”, it would only be listed in the middle of the Spotify playlist “Deutschrap Brandneu”. FYI: The track is number 5 on the playlist. Farid Bang adds: “I don’t know what kind of politics you have internally” and demands an explanation from Spotify regarding this difference. In addition, the rapper does not understand how a pop singer like Vanessa Mai can end up in such a playlist. Her feature “Melatonin” was released alongside rapper ART on February 18th and currently sits at number 52 on the playlist.

Spotify as the “euthanasia of German rap”?

The criticism apparently gave other rappers food for thought and gave some the impetus they needed to voice their frustration. Two particularly detailed statements come from the rappers Kollegah and Sun Diego. Both see the diversity of German oilseed rape threatened. Sun Diego emphasized that so-called “no names” would occupy the places today. His punchline is: “German rap is dying and you are euthanizing.”

Kollegah is of the opinion that it is relatively equally difficult for both newcomers and old hands in the rap scene to fight their way into the field of view of the playlists and thus also of the listeners. Spotify’s strategy is to only support one type of music: “same-sounding soulless pop rap”. Kollegah explains this approach as “the death of diversity. Authenticity. Real art and everything hip-hop actually stands for.”

LISTEN TO TRACK “BA3T” STREAMED HERE: