Тимати (Timati)

Timati, born Timur Yunusov, is a Russian rapper, singer, and entrepreneur who became one of the most commercially prominent figures in Russian hip-hop and pop. He started in the late 1990s as a member of the group VIP77 and later performed as a backing MC for Detsl, before joining the reality show «Фабрика звёзд – 4», where he formed the R&B group Банда.

His 2006 debut solo album, Black Star, launched both his solo career and the Black Star Inc. label and production house, which he founded and which went on to become one of the most influential entertainment brands in Russian-language pop and hip-hop, shaping the careers of numerous other artists. Timati is notable for being one of the few Russian hip-hop artists to record collaborations with major American musicians, including Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Puff Daddy, Xzibit, Timbaland, and Flo Rida, blending Russian-language rap with glossy, club-oriented American hip-hop and R&B production.

Over his career, Timati's sound has moved between hard-edged rap, R&B, and dance-pop, reflecting his role as both a performer and a music-industry executive shaping mainstream Russian urban music.