Beginner

Beginner, formerly known as Absolute Beginner, are a Hamburg hip-hop group and one of the foundational acts of German-language rap, consisting of Jan Philipp Eißfeldt (also known solo as Jan Delay), Dennis Lisk (DJ Mad), and Guido Weiß (Denyo). Emerging from Hamburg's Eimsbüttel district and closely tied to the legendary left-wing venue Rote Flora, the group helped define what a distinctly German — rather than Americanized — hip-hop sound could sound like, rooted in wordplay, local identity, and a playful, funk-inflected groove.

Their catalogue mixes party anthems and battle-rap energy with warmer, melodic songs; tracks like «Füchse», «Liebes Lied», and «Hammerhart» sit alongside the more romantic «So schön» and the storytelling of «Es war einmal...», showing a range from braggadocio to tenderness rarely combined so naturally in German rap of their era. «Ahnma» and «Meine Posse» reflect the crew mentality and Hamburg pride that runs through much of their work.

Jan Delay's parallel solo career, blending funk, reggae, and soul, has only reinforced Beginner's reputation as a launching pad for versatile, genre-crossing artists, while the group's reunions and continued live shows have kept them central to German hip-hop's history and ongoing culture.