Rapper Basta admitted that he would not refuse to spend his retirement in Nizhny Novgorod.

      June 28, 2026 07:30 Culture and Leisure NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Polina Zubova Half an hour before taking the stage at the "Sovcombank Arena," where the Nizhny Novgorod concert (16+) was set to take place on July 27, Vasily Vakulenko met with the press. By that time, the stadium was already buzzing - people were settling into their seats, the dance floor was packed, and the flow of spectators showed no signs of stopping. All tickets for the concert had been sold out. The last time Basta visited the capital of the Volga region was three years ago for City Day. Since then, according to him, Nizhny Novgorod has transformed beyond recognition - and the artist appreciated these changes. "The city has experienced what it deserved since 1221. A wonderful stadium, wonderful restaurants, cafes. Nizhny Novgorod is doing what all cities in Russia should do - fighting for every tourist and delighting local residents," said the artist. Vakulenko was in great spirits before the performance. The soundcheck went smoothly, the sound was pleasing, and an audience of 47,000 awaited him. Speaking about the record, Basta admitted that he does not chase numbers. For him, it is more important that people are willing to spend their money and time to attend his concert. "For me, it is an honor that people share a part of their lives with me. I want everyone who comes to the concert - even if they are not particularly immersed in my music, just coming out of curiosity - to say, 'I don't listen to this, but everything was done cool.' We need to work with people and focus only on them. Thanking everyone who comes to the concert, who simply listens to the songs, who writes comments - even if they are not always pleasant. Being with people, not distancing from those who made you an artist. These people made me. They made it possible for me to be here, standing in front of you and singing on this stage. My job is to write songs," shared the artist. During the conversation, journalists asked the musician if he could imagine his life in Nizhny Novgorod after his career ends. The performer stated that he would not refuse such an opportunity if the city offered it. However, Vasily Mikhailovich is not planning to retire just yet. "We will work some more!" laughed Basta. They also discussed the recent statements from the Ministry of Justice, which intends to "seriously engage" with the rap industry and shift the themes towards traditional values. Vakulenko spoke very directly. In his opinion, any such initiative should be devoid of populism; otherwise, "20-30 fraudsters will quickly latch on and try to score points on it." He is convinced that a person with a family should talk about family, and someone who sincerely believes in love for the Motherland should speak about that. "So many songs about our Motherland have been written that we could stop writing more. A large number of wonderful songs were written in the Soviet Union... I think the entire generation needs to take a little pause in patriotic music because a considerable amount has been written, and it is wonderful," said the artist. When asked which foreign song he would like to consider his own, Vakulenko highlighted the composition "I Believe" by Zhanna Aguzarova, with lyrics by Garik Sukachev. "This is one of the most brilliant songs in the Russian language for me," emphasized the musician. In conclusion, Basta reflected on what it would have been like if his rap career had not worked out. With irony, he noted that, in essence, it never really existed - his most popular songs, according to him, do not relate to rap; he merely uses this genre in the context of compositions, giving due credit to true lyricists. But he has always been a musician, and that is the only thing he wanted to be. You can see how the concert went through the link. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When republishing, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+