Basta (rapper)

Vasiliy Mikhaylovich Vakulenko (Russian: Василий Михайлович Вакуленко; born 20 April 1980 in Rostov-on-Don), better known by stage name Basta, aka Noggano is a Russian rapper and RJ.

Born into an army officer's family. He studied at the local musical college, but didn't graduate. He is married and has two children.

Vakulenko began to write and read rap at the age of 15-16, at 1997 participated in group Psycholyric, which later will be renamed into Kasta, that was his idea to rename the band. At 1998 he recorded his first solo single "Моя Игра" (Moya Igra/My Game). Then Basta assembled his own band, "Уличные Звуки" (Ulichnye Zvuki/Street Sounds). In 2004 he was noticed by Bogdan Titomir, who offered him to go to Moscow. In Moscow Basta met other performers Smoky Mo and Guf (future founder of the Centr). Later Basta participated in recording Guf's album "Город дорог" (Gorod Dorog/City of roads) and made together with him the cover of his first single "Моя Игра" (Moya Igra/My Game).

At 2008 Basta created the new stage name "Noggano" and recorded two albums "Ноггано первый" (Noggano. The First) and "Ноггано теплый" (Noggano. Warm) in parody style. The name "Noggano" is an allusion to the legendary revolver. Before that he was performing sad and sometimes romantic tracks, but since "Noggano" he created the new image of Gangsta rapper, singing obscent lyrics about criminals, sex and drugs in parody and grotesque style. He is calling "Noggano" his alter ego. Currently engaged in writing Basta release "Nagano 3" which is scheduled for release in 2016.

Albums

• 2006 - "Баста 1" (Basta 1)
• 2007 - "Баста 2" (Basta 2)
• 2008 - "Ноггано. Первый" (Noggano. The First)
• 2009 - "Ноггано. Второй (Теплый)" (Noggano. The Second (Warm))
• 2010 - "Баста 3" (Basta 3)
• 2010 - "Баста/Guf" (Basta/Guf)
• 2011 - "N1nt3nd0"
• 2011 - "ГлаЗ" (GlaZ/EyE)
• 2013 - "Баста 4" (Basta 4)
• 2014 - "ТВА"
• 2015 - "Баста/Смоки Мо" (Basta/Smoky Mo)

Compilations

• 1997 - "Первый Удар" (в составе группы "Психолирик") (Perviy Udar/First Strike (feat.Psycholyric)
• 2005 - "Начальное творчество. Часть 1" (Nachal'noe Tvorchestvo/Initiate Creation. Part 1)
• 2005 - "Баста. Начальное творчество. Часть 1" (Basta. Nachal'noe Tvorchestvo/Basta. Initiate Creation. Part 1)
• 2008 - "К тебе" (To You)
• 2009 - "Ноггано: Неизданное" (Noggano: Unpublished)
• 2010 - "Ноггано: Совместки" (Noggano: Featurings)
• 2013 - "Баста +" (Basta +)

Singles

• 1997 - "Город" (Gorod/City)
• 1998 - "Моя игра" (Moya Igra/My Game)
• 2012 - "Моя вселенная" п.у. Тати (My Universe, feat. Tati)
• 2013 - "ЧК" (Чистый кайф) (Genuine Pleasure)