МОТ (MOT)

МОТ (real name Matvey Melnikov, born 1990) is a Russian rap and R&B-leaning artist who first emerged as part of the music project Soul Kitchen before building a solo career. He was later associated with the Black Star Inc. label during a key period of his rise to popularity in the Russian-speaking music scene. His debut solo album, «Remote», was released in 2011 and featured collaborations with several other artists.

MOT's sound blends rap cadence with melodic, radio-friendly hooks, placing him at the crossroads of Russian pop and rap rather than firmly in either camp. Songs such as «Когда мужчина влюблён», «Капкан» and «Намёк на нас» exemplify his signature style of sung-rap verses paired with emotionally direct, romantically themed lyrics, which has made him a consistent presence on Russian radio and streaming charts.

Over a career spanning multiple studio albums — including «Наизнанку» (2016), «92 дня» (2016), «Добрая музыка клавиш» (2017) and «Парабола» (2020) — he has worked with a range of Russian-language artists, cementing his place as one of the more melodic, pop-crossover voices in Russian rap.