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Today we have the news of the death of the German rapper Xatar. They know him like few other people because they have filmed his life story. Do you still know when you first noticed it?
Yes, I still know that very well. At that time Moritz Bleibtreu was working on his film “Only God can judge me” and he told me completely euphorically that he could win for the soundtrack and a cameo role Xatar. When I told him that I wouldn’t know Xatar, he gave me a long lecture how important he would be for German hip hop and what an extraordinary life story he would have. Moritz is very deep on this topic. Then I listened to the music and was immediately enthusiastic.
Why exactly?
That was so raw. Especially his album “415”, which he secretly recorded under the covers in his jack. A solidarity video was shot for the song “Interpol”, in which half the German rap scene appeared. You immediately felt that something very special happened. At some point I wrote to him on Instagram and we were for a long time over social media down.
Then they decided to film his life. What was the occasion?
At some point I asked him to send my albums to vinyl. He did that. I was in a script session when this huge cardboard was full of plates. The others asked what kind of stuff was. I said: guys, that’s Xatar. Then I started telling them. That he was a refugee child, the parents composers, he had robbed a gold transporter and had a spectacular escape. And someone said: You have to make a film about that. And yes, I thought it is. I had to make a film about that. I got his autobiography and, as in the time lapse, the entire film appeared in my mind’s eye. Just as he became later.
When did you meet personally for the first time?
After reading his book, I wanted to buy the film rights. He said that there would already be interested, but he was still waiting for the right one. I said to him: “Brother, I’m the right one.” Then we met in Hamburg, went out to eat in a fine fish restaurant and talk about everything. We got on so well that he came home afterwards. My son was 15 or 16 at the time and was sitting in front of the television with a buddy. The two gambled. Then suddenly Xatar stood in front of them. They were pretty impressed (laughs). This evening followed a long, deep friendship.
You once said that the story of Xatar is a very German history. What exactly do you mean?
All of my films are home films. I am always concerned with dealing with Germany and the question, why is my home what it has become? One answer is that this country is an immigrant country. And migrants and refugees shaped it. People like Xatar have changed German culture. German hip -hop – like German punk – was more than just an adaptation of an existing sound. It has become something of its own. And he was responsible for that. He was one of the most eloquent rappers I know. The way he dealt with the German language was unique. And she left traces.
Xatar has only turned 43, but he probably experienced more in this short time than other people. How did you proceed when you processed his story?
The first sentence in his autobiography was: “My first memory of my life is the memory of prison.” If a life begins like this, it will probably not run in a normal way. So also not with G. his life was a single roller coaster ride. My vision was to implement it the same way. To go beyond German rap history. It is a coming-of-age story, a Heist film, a refugee and a family drama. It’s all at the same time. And I wanted to show that. That makes it so unique.
You got to know Xatar well. What was the core of his complex personality in all of this?
He was a driven. Just as artists have always driven. Just as there are often refugee children. He had experienced poverty and never wanted to experience this poverty again. Demons drove him.
How do you remember the shooting?
As chaotic as his life was, he seemed tidy. Insert. Friendly. And respectful. I particularly remember that. He just had me done, had no vanity that he wanted to be particularly depicted. He had respect for me as an artist. He had me done. This shows how clever he was and what kind of sense he had for people and art. But he was always present and offered his help. And he had an eye for the detail.
How do you mean that?
I come from the hood. But I did not know from a hood other than G. as G. the codes that prevailed in his hometown Bonn. But he knew everything. How to turn a joint there, which shoes you wore to which jogging pants. How to put your shoes there. These are subtleties, details, but he had an eye for something like that. And if the details fit, then the entire work usually becomes good. So the film was actually a joint production of us. It was a lot of fun. And we laughed a lot. As wild as his life was, he was so humorous.
What will remain of him?
He shaped the German rapgame like hardly anyone here. But his personality was also inspiration for many. Xatar will be associated with Germany’s most important youth culture forever.