FMJAM

FMJAM (stylised as fmjam or FM JAM) is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian music publishing house and hip-hop movement based in Tuzla. It began on 13 December 1999 as a radio show on the Tuzla station Radio Kameleon, hosted by Emir Alagić (DJ Soul) and Erol Tahirović. The programme was dedicated to hip-hop music and subculture, and it quickly became a meeting point for local artists, including the AOG graffiti crew, the Dirty Angelz rap group, a breakdance crew and the band Defence. The logo and the first design of the web presence were created by Mirza Čehajić. From a radio show, FMJAM grew into a broader platform: an internet portal (fmjam.com), an event organiser and, above all, a music publisher and label for a generation of Bosnian rappers. In 2000 the first demo recordings by Edo Maajka, Frenkie, Dirty Angelz and Hamza were made, and Edo Maajka and DJ Soul founded the hip-hop group Disciplinska Komisija. Through the expansion of Radio Kameleon's reach and the fmjam.com portal, FMJAM connected hip-hop artists from across Bosnia and Herzegovina and helped popularise the local scene in the former Yugoslavia and among the Bosnian diaspora. In the 2000s FMJAM artists began releasing solo albums. Edo Maajka's first album was released in 2002 by the Croatian publisher Menart, and Frenkie's Odličan CD (2005) won the Davorin music award; its track "Soundtrack" appeared in the Hollywood film The Incredible Hulk. FMJAM organised the annual Unity hip-hop festival in Tuzla, which ran until 2010, and its artists were nominated for or won a range of awards including Porin, Davorin, the MTV Europe Music Awards, Zlatna Koogla and Crni Mačak. The label also took part in the production of the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian rap opera, Prosjačka Opera, in 2003. FMJAM's radio show later moved from Radio Kameleon to the state broadcaster BH Radio 1, and DJ Soul ended the show at the end of 2012 to focus on marketing artists. A new generation joined in early 2014, including the Tuzla DJ and producer Indigo, the Sarajevo rapper Kontra and the Tuzla rapper Sassja. The label continues to release music and promote Bosnian hip-hop through its website and social channels, covering releases, videos, festivals and documentaries.

FMJAM was founded on 13 December 1999 as a radio show on the Tuzla station Radio Kameleon, hosted by Emir Alagić (DJ Soul) and Erol Tahirović. The show focused on hip-hop music and subculture, and it became a first point of contact for local artists. Many others joined the group, including the AOG graffiti crew, the Dirty Angelz rap group, a breakdance crew and the band Defence. In 2000 the first demo recordings by Edo Maajka, Frenkie, Dirty Angelz and Hamza were made, and Edo Maajka and DJ Soul founded the hip-hop group Disciplinska Komisija. During this period FMJAM also organised its first performances and concerts. In early 2000 FMJAM organised its first hip-hop entertainment programmes and events in various Tuzla discotheques and nightclubs. As Radio Kameleon's reach expanded, contacts were made with hip-hop artists from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fmjam.com internet portal further popularised the Bosnian-Herzegovinian hip-hop subculture in the country, in the former Yugoslavia and among the Bosnian diaspora. Erol Tahirović started a branch of the radio show in which several hip-hop artists were given the opportunity to present themselves via the radio show and/or the web portal, increasing their reach. This led to the first major collaboration between several artists and helped create an organised, united hip-hop scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the following years FMJAM artists began releasing solo albums. In 2002 the Croatian music publisher Menart released Edo Maajka's first album. Collaboration between Edo Maajka, Frenkie and Defence grew stronger. In 2001, alongside work on various albums, FMJAM organised the Unity hip-hop festival in Tuzla, which brought together artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region; the festival was held annually until 2010. FMJAM artists received numerous awards and nominations, including for Porin, Davorin, the MTV Europe Music Awards, Zlatna Koogla and Crni Mačak. In 2003 Edo Maajka played the protagonist in the documentary Trajno nastanjeni stranac, and in 2007 in the film Sevdah o rodama. Also in 2003 Edo Maajka released the title song for the film Golden Valley Sarajewo, and FMJAM took part in the production of the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian rap opera, Prosjačka Opera. Frenkie released the album Odličan CD in 2005, which won the Davorin music award; the song "Soundtrack" was even featured in the Hollywood film The Incredible Hulk. FMJAM artists were invited to the film premiere at the Sarajevo Film Festival. In 2006 Frenkie released the album DOSTA! ("ENOUGH!"), which shares its name with a youth movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina that Frenkie belongs to and for which the album campaigned. The movement fights for human rights, opposes nationalism and nationalist parties, and works for a better and safer future in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The album was released only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all proceeds were donated to the youth movement. The band Defence, which Edo Maajka joined in 2006, released the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian reggae album, Baga Music. In the same year Moonjah and DJ Soul founded the DJ duo Baga Sound. The FMJAM radio show was taken off Radio Kameleon and moved to the state broadcaster BH Radio 1. At the end of 2012 DJ Soul ended the radio show for good so that he could focus more on marketing artists. Alongside concert activity, the rapper Edo Maajka released the albums Balkansko a naše (2008), Spomen ploča (2010) and Štrajk mozga (2012). Frenkie released his EP Pokreni se in 2008, followed by three more albums: Protuotrov (2009), Featuring mixtape (2010) and Troyanac (2012). He also represented Bosnia and Herzegovina on the international album Diversidad: The Experience (2011). With the release of Protuotrov in 2009, the documentary Who The Fuck Is Frenkie was also released. In the same year Frenkie worked on the music performance Mortal Kombajn, directed by Dino Mustafić. In 2013 he was nominated for Best MTV Adria Act. The documentary Pismo (2013) by director Ada Sokolović was inspired by Frenkie's song Pismo Milanu. In 2013 Edo Maajka was nominated for the Croatian music award Porin. In early 2014 Indigo, a DJ and producer from Tuzla, the Sarajevo rapper Kontra and the Tuzla rapper Sassja joined FMJAM. Zlatan Hajlovac – Kontra released his solo album Igra Riječi in 2014, while Sassja signed a contract with the Croatian label Menart and released her first album Taktički Praktično in 2015. Frenkie released his album DNA (2014), which was sold exclusively as a vinyl record and later made available as a free download on Red Bull's website. FMJAM remains active as a music publisher, label and media platform for Bosnian hip-hop, with its website covering new releases, videos, festivals and documentaries.

• 2015

  Sassja releases her first album Taktički Praktično via Menart.

• 2014

  Indigo, Kontra and Sassja join FMJAM; Kontra releases Igra Riječi; Frenkie releases DNA on vinyl.

• 2012

  DJ Soul ends the FMJAM radio show to focus on artist marketing; Edo Maajka releases Štrajk mozga; Frenkie releases Troyanac.

• 2010

  Unity festival ends after its final edition; Edo Maajka releases Spomen ploča.

• 2009

  Frenkie releases Protuotrov; documentary Who The Fuck Is Frenkie released.

• 2008

  Edo Maajka releases Balkansko a naše; Frenkie releases the EP Pokreni se.

• 2006

  Frenkie releases DOSTA!; Defence releases Baga Music, the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian reggae album; Moonjah and DJ Soul found Baga Sound.

• 2005

  Frenkie releases Odličan CD, which wins the Davorin award; its track "Soundtrack" appears in the Hollywood film The Incredible Hulk.

• 2003

  FMJAM takes part in the first Bosnian-Herzegovinian rap opera, Prosjačka Opera; Edo Maajka releases the title song for Golden Valley Sarajewo.

• 2002

  Croatian publisher Menart releases Edo Maajka's first album.

• 2001

  FMJAM organises the Unity hip-hop festival in Tuzla, held annually until 2010.

• 2000

  First demo recordings by Edo Maajka, Frenkie, Dirty Angelz and Hamza; Edo Maajka and DJ Soul found Disciplinska Komisija.

• 1999

  FMJAM founded on 13 December as a radio show on Radio Kameleon in Tuzla by Emir Alagić (DJ Soul) and Erol Tahirović.

A pioneering Bosnian hip-hop label, publisher and media platform rooted in Tuzla, connecting local and regional hip-hop culture.

• 2002

  Edo Maajka – first album

• 2005

  Frenkie – Odličan CD

• 2006

  Frenkie – DOSTA!

• 2006

  Defence – Baga Music

• 2008

  Edo Maajka – Balkansko a naše

• 2008

  Frenkie – Pokreni se

• 2009

  Frenkie – Protuotrov

• 2010

  Edo Maajka – Spomen ploča

• 2010

  Frenkie – Featuring mixtape

• 2012

  Edo Maajka – Štrajk mozga

• 2012

  Frenkie – Troyanac

• 2014

  Kontra – Igra Riječi

• 2014

  Frenkie – DNA

• 2015

  Sassja – Taktički Praktično

• Indigo – Victoria

• 2006DOSTA! youth movement campaign

1. 1FMJAM official websitefmjam.com
2. 2FMJAM on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3FMJAM on German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org