"DokuNights" returns to its origins at the 25th anniversary celebration

“DokuNights” returns to one of the iconic spaces of “DokuFest” music nights. As part of the festival’s 25th anniversary, “Andrra Stage” has been revived with a night dedicated to hip-hop and experimental music, bringing local artists and different approaches to this genre to the stage. From Liburn Jupolli’s piano, to Lluni’s performance and Marshall Jungle’s DJ set, the night has brought back not only music, but also memories of an important space in the festival’s history.

After several years of being spread across different spaces in Prizren and with changes in format, the music program of “DokuFest” has returned to the space and concept that accompanied it in the early years. “Andrra Stage”, one of the spaces that has been associated with the international festival’s music nights, documentary and short films, on Thursday night welcomed a night built around hip-hop and experimental music.

The evening, part of the "DokuNights" program, brought together three local artists with different approaches to hip-hop: composer and multi-instrumentalist Liburn Jupolli, rapper Lluni, and DJ Asdren Zogaj, known by the stage name Marshall Jungle.

The "Andrra Stage" space was filled with the festival audience, while the music began with an interpretation that placed the piano at the center of a repertoire known to the hip-hop scene. Liburn Jupolli brought a set built from about 40 songs, interwoven in the form of a collage, from international and local hits of the '80s to the newest ones.

"Today we are focused on hip-hop. It was the organizers' idea to have a set list that we have had for a long time. I played it once. There are more or less 40 songs that are made as a 'medley'. Now with Artificial Intelligence I can also separate them from the live channels," said Jupolli.

Instead of the original vocals of the songs, he has used the piano to recreate and connect fragments from different songs. At times, the music has become a continuation of the verses, while at others the interpretation has moved away from the direct structure of hip-hop to take directions of improvisation and jazz.

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"I did a pretty dynamic set with hip-hop from the '80s to today, where there is international and local hip-hop. At the same time, I play the piano with these songs," he said.

For Jupolli, the connection between the two genres is not accidental.

"Hip-hop and jazz are together. Jazz came out of the blues, the blues and jazz are very integral to the development of hip-hop, so it goes a long way. A lot of the extracts that are used in hip-hop are from blues or jazz songs, so it was very easy to integrate the two together. At different times I stop the vocals and play the piano," he said.

After this performance, the stage was left to Lluni. Known for his work in hip-hop and rap, he brought his own repertoire to the “Andrra Stage”, performing the songs completely live. In front of the festival audience, Lluni presented an energetic performance, based on the rhythm and lyrics of his songs.

The artist from Kosovo is known for combining contemporary rap with elements of Albanian music and has collaborated with names of the Albanian scene such as Ledri Vula, MC Kresha, Lyrical Son, Blleki, Semiautomatik, Erno, Elinel and Rina Balaj. His repertoire includes songs such as “Narcos Albania”, “Rick Ross”, “Mario & Luigi”, “In My Zone” and “JBMTQR”.

In closing, the atmosphere of the night shifted towards the DJ set format. Following him was Asdren Zogaj, known as Marshall Jungle, one of the early figures of hip-hop DJs in Kosovo. With more than two decades, Zogaj began his journey as a DJ at the age of 16 and over the years has become an important part of the hip-hop scene in Kosovo, including his long period as a DJ for the former “label” “BABASTARS”.

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He has performed in clubs, festivals and concerts in Kosovo, Europe and the United States, while during his career he has shared the stage with international artists such as 50 Cent, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, DJ Premier and DJ Whoo Kid.

This night's trio is part of the "DokuNights" concept, which this year once again places the local scene at the center of the music program. "DokuNights" curator, Leart Rama, said that local artists have always been part of the identity of this program.

"Every year, the real 'DokuNights', since the first editions when 'Andrra Stage' did not even exist, the main space has been occupied by local artists. Until 'DokuNights' started to grow, at first there were only local artists and then an interesting combination began to form between them and international ones who to some extent have inspired us and the other artists who perform with them. Like every year, this year too we have room for these artists, because we grow together and develop art together," said Rama.

According to him, Thursday night is conceived as a meeting between hip-hop, experimental music and different ways of interpreting the genre.

"This year we have different artists, but now that we are talking about it, it is a night of hip-hop and experimental music, but also hip-hop in a different way. For example, Liburn Jupolli, who is known for innovation and invention of various instruments, today comes with a very interesting project where he plays hip-hop through the piano, which I think we have not seen before. In addition to him, there is Marshall Jungle, as one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJs, as well as Llunin, one of the new hip-hop artists who is very loved by the public," he said.

The return of “Andrra Stage” this year also has a symbolic dimension for the festival, as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of “DokuFest. For Rama, the return of this space is connected to the collective memory of the festival and the history of the relationships that have been created around it.

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"It was very important to me that for the 25th anniversary, at least, we bring back 'Andrra Stage', because different societies and beautiful memories were born here, and it seems to me that there has never been a better time than this year to bring back 'Andrra Stage' to celebrate both the 25th anniversary and the return of 'DokuNights' here," said Rama.

In the space that was once one of the important points of the festival nights, music has once again become a nostalgic meeting point for what it used to be and the new forms through which the local scene continues to create.