Former popular Ukrainian rapper and producer Oleksiy Potapenko , better known as Potap, made a surprise statement about a possible return to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the artist, who is currently abroad, has radically changed his image and pseudonym, becoming Slavic Balagan .
On his Instagram, Potapenko posted a photo from the airport, announcing that he was leaving for the United States. The rapper did not explain the reason for moving from Europe, where he had lived in recent years. However, followers suggest that this may be related to his concert tour and the desire to see Donald Trump's inauguration, which is scheduled for January 20.
When asked by one of the users why Potap was abroad during the war in Ukraine, the artist replied that he was returning to his homeland during a full-scale invasion and plans to do so again, but did not give specific dates.
The rapper also announced that he had changed his pseudonym to Slavic Balagan and created a new Instagram page, where he publishes content in English. His goal is to “give happiness and fun to foreigners.” In his first post, the artist stated that he intends to make people happier by freeing them from “the stupid formalities of the West.”
“Hello, friends, it's me, Slavic Balagan, your favorite big brother from Eastern Europe! I'm here to make you laugh and forget all those stupid formalities of the West…”, Potap wrote.
Alexey also announced his first concerts in the US in a long time, where he will perform Russian-language hits from the projects “Potap and Nastya”, “Vremya i Steklo” and Mozgi . This caused a new wave of criticism among Ukrainian fans, who consider the popularization of Russian-language music in wartime unacceptable.
Although Potap has announced plans to return to Ukraine, his actions and public statements have been met with mixed reactions. The rapper has been accused of evading responsibility and unwillingness to actively participate in supporting his homeland in difficult times.
