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Key Information

Filip Tadeusz Szcześniak (born 29 July 1990), better known by the stage name Taco Hemingway (earlier FV), is a Polish rapper. He began recording in 2011, at which time he released - under the pseudonym Foodvillain - an English-language mixtape entitled Who Killed JFK.[1] A year later, he adopted the pseudonym Taco Hemingway, under which he released the English-language EP Young Hems.[2] In 2014, he released a second EP, this time recorded in Polish, titled Trójkąt warszawski.[3] The album brought the musician publicity, thanks to which he joined the label Asfalt Records, under which he released a re-release of Trójkąt warszawski and a new EP entitled Umowa o dzieło.[4] These, as well as subsequent albums released on the label, made the rapper famous, and he quickly became one of the most popular musicians in Poland.[5][6]

He has sold over 400,000 albums in Poland, making him one of the best-selling rappers in Poland. Almost all of the rapper's album can be downloaded for free from his website. The most successful was the joint album with Quebonafide, titled Soma 0.5 mg, which was sold in over 150 thousand copies. Also successful were the albums Szprycer, Marmur and Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19. For the sale of albums he repeatedly received the certificate of platinum, gold and diamond records. He created hits such as "6 zer", "Następna stacja", "Deszcz na betonie", "Polskie Tango", "Tamagotchi" or "Nostalgia", which all went trending on YouTube with millions of views shortly after release.

He has been nominated for the Fryderyk Awards thirteen times between 2016 and 2020, including four times as a winner in the hip-hop Album of the Year category (for the albums Umowa o dzieło, Szprycer, Soma 0,5 mg, Pocztówka z WWA), including being the only artist to win the award three times in a row and being the only rapper nominated and awarded in the Song of the Year category.[7] He was also nominated for the MTV Europe Music Awards in the Best Polish Artist category and Empik's Bestsellers in the Polish Music, Hip-Hop Music and Streaming categories.[8][9] However, the musician does not pay much attention to the awards, and he did not collect any of them.[10]

He was ranked 10th on the list of Most Influential Poles 2019 by Wprost.[11] He is the first Polish artist whose songs have been played over a billion times on the streaming platform Spotify.[12] Despite his immense popularity, the rapper does not spend much time in the media, rarely giving interviews and not appearing in advertisements.

Early life

[edit]

Filip Szcześniak was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1990.[13][14][15] At the age of 2, he moved with his parents from Egypt to Guangzhou, China. Initially, he attended an English preschool before transferring to a Chinese preschool, where he experienced communication problems due to differences in culture and language. Upon finishing preschool, Szcześniak and his family moved to Warsaw in 1996,[16] where he experienced little to no difficulties in school while simultaneously developing his bilingualism from his early years. In an interview with Metro Warszawa, Szcześniak stated that he spoke English with his mother and sister and that he spoke in Polish with his father.[17] He listened to various rap artists with his father, developing his passion for the rap genre.[17] His parents divorced in 2004.[17]

Szcześniak completed his studies at Prywatne Gimnazjum nr 1 and Copernicus Bilingual High School in Warsaw, where he met his future producer, Maciej Ruszecki. He is also a graduate of cultural studies at the University of Warsaw.[18] In 2012, he began studying for a master's degree in anthropology in University College London.[19]

Career

[edit]

2011–2016: Young Hems, Trójkąt warszawski and Umowa o dzieło

[edit]
Taco Hemingway performing during his 2017 tour.

While studying in London, he wrote lyrics for his mixtape entitled Who Killed JFK. He began posting his first songs on YouTube, using the alias Foodvillain at the time. The rapper unsuccessfully tried to pursue music making as well.[20] He rapped in English on illegally downloaded MF DOOM beats in his friend's basement.[21] In his lyrics he referred to the work of rappers such as Childish Gambino[22] or Jay-Z.[23] The project itself did not meet with much publicity.[24] On 26 December 2013, he released his English-language EP titled Young Hems via Bandcamp.[25][26] The artist adopted the pseudonym Taco Hemingway, which was taken from the football game FIFA, in which he played under such a pseudonym.[27] The material was recorded in Brussels in the basement of his mother's house at the time.[28] The album again did not receive much publicity.[27] The rapper was initially employed in the advertising industry, but abandoned it in favor of becoming an English translator, and in the meantime he was writing his second EP.[29] On 19 December 2014, his second re-released EP, titled Trójkąt warszawski, was released. The album was made available as a free digital stream on his YouTube channel and as a free download on the rapper's official website. A day after the premiere of the album, the artist played his first concert in Cafe Kulturalna in Warsaw.[30] Radio premiere of tracks from Trójkąt warszawski took place in December on Saturday programme Tony z betonu in radio Trójka, for which the artist also gave an interview.[30][31] In January he published on his channel the track "Tunarzywo" which was recorded in 2013.[32] On 27 March 2015 he played a concert at Klubokawiarnia Chłodna 25, which was the "official" premiere of the album.[33] In April 2015 he gave an interview for the Polish Radio Koszalin in the program Rapnejszyn.[34] The same year he was scheduled to perform in the promotional action of the PopKiller portal entitled "Young Wolves 2015", however he declined due to lack of time.[35] On 6 June 2015, there was a digital premiere of the first single titled "6 zeros" along with a music video, directed by Łukasz Partyka and Jonasz Tołopiła.[36] The single proved to be the rapper's first major commercial success and key to his popularity in Poland. On 27 June 2015, the musician's third EP, titled Umowa o dzieło, was released. The material was made available free of charge in digital forms: on the YouTube channel and via the rapper's official website.[4]

At first Taco sent his records to Prosto and Alkopoligamia, but due to lack of response he sent them to Marcin "Tytus" Grabski - owner of Asfalt Records. There the recordings met with the publisher's interest which eventually resulted in signing a publishing contract.[37]

On 19 August 2015, reissues of the albums Trójkąt warszawski and Umowa o dzieło went on sale, which gained huge publicity, reaching respectively the 3rd and 2nd place of the Polish charts - OLiS, both selling more than 10 thousand copies on the day of their release.[38][39][40][41] The albums were excellently received by listeners and earned the same positive reviews from critics.[42][43] The album Umowa o dzieło achieved gold album status by 2017.[44] In turn, the song "Następna stacja", coming from the album Umowa o dzieło, reached the 1st place of the Polish Radio's Lista Przebojów Programu Trzeciego list and stayed there for several weeks.[45][46] That same year he went on his first concert tour of Poland, called the Następna Stacja Tour.[47] In the same year, he performed for the first time at Open'er Festival, on a side stage. In 2016, he became the winner of the most important Polish music award, the Fryderyk, for the album Umowa o dzieło in the category Album of the Year Hip-Hop. On 5 July 2016, he released the single "Deszcz na betonie", which announced the album Marmur.[48] The single proved to be a hit on many radio stations, achieving chart success, including reaching #1 on UWM FM radio and RDC radio.[49] It also hit the charts of Polish Radio III, Radio Poznań and Radio Szczecin.[50]

2016–2018: Wosk, Marmur and Szprycer

[edit]

In February 2016, he started writing lyrics for his first studio album.[51] In 2016, the rapper's fourth mini-album titled Wosk was released unannounced for free download on the rapper's website.[52] The album was well received by music critics; however, reviewers pointed out that the lyrics were less brilliant than before and that the rapper could be boring sometimes.[53][54] The song "Wiatr", became the biggest hit of the album, reaching almost 10 million views on YouTube.[55]

Taco Hemingway with Quebonafide during Ekodiesel Tour in 2018.

On 2 November, he released his first studio album, entitled Marmur,[56] which went on sale on 2 December along with the rapper's previous album, Wosk. The albums debuted at number 3 and number 14 on the Polish music charts, OLiS, respectively.[57][58][59] The albums received positive, although slightly weaker than the previous albums, reviews from critics.[60] By February 2017, more than 15,000 copies of the album Marmur had been sold, which achieved gold album status.[61] A song from that album, titled "Święcące prostokąty" reached number 23 on the Polish Radio's Lista Przebojów Programu Trzeciego list. That same year, the rapper went on his second concert tour, Marmur Tour.[62] Rapper Sokół in an interview with Gazeta.pl praised Taco Hemingway, stating that he appreciates his work.[63] In 2017, he was once again nominated for the Fryderyk Award for his album Marmur, in the Hip-Hop Album of the Year category, but lost to the album Życie po śmierci by rapper O.S.T.R. In 2017, the rapper performed at the Open'er Festival for the second time, this time on the main stage, where on the last song "Następna stacja", due to the producer's equipment being flooded by rain, the artist had to finish the song a cappella.[64]

In July 2017, he announced a new EP.[65] On 30 July 2017, he released a single titled "Nostalgia" along with a music video.[66] The same day the full minialbum titled Szprycer was released digitally. The physical version was released on 25 August.[67] The album debuted at number 1 on the Polish charts - OLiS. The rapper changed his style on the album, which made it poorly received by the community and critics.[68] With the song "Nostalgia", the rapper once again hit the radio charts. The album, like any previous one, was made available for free download on the rapper's website. After the release of the album, the rapper embarked on his 2017 Tour, during which he played concerts in 13 cities selling a total of over 23,000 tickets.[69] The tour culminated with a performance in Warsaw's Torwar, where the rapper filled the entire hall with more than 6 thousand people.[70] In the same period, he also recorded a song with Otsochodzi titled "Nowy Kolor" along with a music video. The song became a hit, the video within a few months of its release was watched by over 25 million people on YouTube. The song also became the 2017 single of the year according to sites like Glamrap, Newonce, and Interia.[71][72] The song also reached #4 on the Radio Poznań charts. Finally, it was nominated for the 2019 Fryderyki Award in the category of Hit of the Year and covered with diamond album status. In October, the rapper released a limited number of T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps modeled after the themes of his albums.[73] On 6 March 2018, Szprycer album was nominated for the Fryderyk Award in the hip-hop Album of the Year category and won the poll. The rapper once again did not attend the awards gala. Also by March 2018, the album had sold over 30,000 copies, earning platinum status.[74]

2018–2019: Taconafide, Café Belga and Flagey

[edit]
Rapper during Café Belga Tour, 2018

In March 2018, he announced that he would record a joint album with Quebonafide.[75][76] On 16 March 2018, Taconafide released the duo's first single titled "Art-B" on the QueQuality label's channel.[77] Along with the release, the album's preorder was launched. The rappers announced a joint nationwide tour to promote the album titled Ekodiesel Tour.[78] In two weeks, the artists sold out the tickets for the concert in Torwar and quickly sold out the rest of the concerts in major halls in Poland.[79] It is the biggest commercial success concerning concerts in the history of Polish rap.[78]

On 22 March 2018, they released their second single titled "Tamagotchi" along with a music video.[80] The song proved to be a great commercial success reaching the 22nd place of the best-selling singles list in Poland - AirPlay.[81] The song broke Ed Sheeran's record for the most listened to single on Spotify in Poland.[82] The song itself held the #1 spot for a week on the YouTube timecard reaching over 10 million views in ten days, eventually reaching over 90 million views.[83] The song also turned out to be a huge radio hit, reaching the top of the charts in many radio stations, including Radio Eska, Radio Szczecin, Radio Trójka and RMF FM.[84][85][86] A day later, on March 23, producer Supremé on his Instagram announced a track titled "Girø", which will appear on the album.[87][88] On March 27, limited edition extras and puzzling graphics announcing guest appearances on the album were revealed. On 1 April 2018, Taconafide's Instagram account revealed the entire tracklist of the album, titled Soma 0.5 mg, as well as bonus material called 0.25 mg.[89] The producers and guests on the bonus CD were also revealed, which turned out to be: Bedoes, Kękę, Paluch, Kaz Bałagane, Dawid Podsiadło and Białas.[89] The single "Tamagotchi" also set a record on Spotify as the most listened to song in a week, reaching 1,797,617 listens (previously the record belonged to Ed Sheeran with 767,383 plays).[90] On 4 April 2018, another single titled "Metallica 808" was released on Taco's channel.[91] On 9 April 2018, a fourth single titled "Kryptowaluty premiered on the QueQuality label channel.[92] 13 April 2018 saw the premiere of the entire Soma 0.5 mg album,[93] which was released in its entirety on Taco and QueQuality's YouTube channels and streaming services.[94][95] A few days after the premiere, additional material added to the album was also made available on streaming services.[96] The entire album hit the first Top 15 on Spotify.[97] The album received mixed reviews from critics, with most accusing the project of being geared towards commercial success. The album debuted at number 1 on the Polish charts - OLiS, selling over 30 thousand copies, thus gaining the status of a platinum album.[98][99] The album was also the best-selling album in Poland in April and May in 2018.[100][101] On 4 July 2018, the album was awarded double platinum status for selling 60,000 copies. The album was also the best-selling album of the first half of the year in Poland.[102] On July 6, the rapper made his third appearance at the Open'er Festival in Gdynia this time with rapper Quebonafide as Taconafide.[103] The musicians had previously announced that it would be their last concert as a duo.[104] According to media reports, the rappers gathered an audience of a few dozen thousand people, comparable to that of the biggest stars of the evening, Gorillaz, and at the same time the biggest among Polish performers in Open'er history.[105][106]

In a zine added to the pre-order, the rapper announced that he will release two more solo projects this year.[107] As of mid-2018, the rapper has partially moved back to London to his girlfriend.[108] The first, his second studio album titled Café Belga, was released unannounced on 13 July 2018.[109] The second is an EP added to the album, titled Flagey.[109] The musician once again debuted with the album on the 1st place of the Polish charts - OLiS.[110] The album received the status of a gold record two weeks after its premiere.[111] The album received varied reviews, mostly positive, critics praised that the album is better in comparison to the artist's previous works, that is, Szprycer and Soma 0.5 mg.[112][113][114] Coming from the album Café Belga, the song "Fiji" hit the radio charts of RMF Maxxx and Eska and reached the 26th place of the best-selling singles list in Poland - AirPlay.[115] At the end of 2018, the rapper embarked on his next tour entitled Cafe Belga Tour visiting the biggest cities in Poland.[116] Along with the tour, he launched a limited edition clothing collection available on his store page, label Asfalt Records.[117] In October 2018, the rapper was nominated for the MTV Europe Music Awards in the Best Polish Performer category as Taconafide.[118] Also in October of the same year, the album Soma 0.5 mg sold over 90,000 copies earning triple platinum status.[98] Also, the album Café Belga by the end of October had distributed more than 30 thousand copies thus earning platinum status. According to the media, by the end of 2018, the album Soma 0.5 mg had sold about 100,000 copies of records and in 2019, it was awarded diamond status for selling more than 150,000 copies.[119][120][121] In 2019, the rapper received as many as seven nominations for the Fryderyk Awards, including the album Soma 0.5 mg, which won in the hip-hop album of the year category.[122]

2019–2020: Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19, Jarmark and Europa

[edit]
Taco Hemingway with Dawid Podsiadło during a concert on National Stadium in Warsaw, 2019.

Although in the song "Café Belga" he announced a possible break from music in 2019, on 7 February, a photo was released online in which the rapper could be seen during a recording session in the studio.[123] On 9 February 2019, a snippet of the musician's new song leaked onto the internet, which the label Asfalt Records tried unsuccessfully to remove.[124] On 12 February of the same year, he appeared as a guest on Bedoes' single "Chłopaki nie płaczą", and the daily Newonce included his verse in the ranking of "5 songs that pushed the boundaries of what is allowed and what is not in Polish rap".[125] In April of the same year, on the Instagram profile of the recording studio in which the rapper works, a post appeared that confirmed the formation of a new album.[126] In May 2019, the artist together with Dawid Podsiadło announced a concert at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Taco also added that this is his only concert this year. The event gained a lot of publicity and already in almost 3 hours the artists sold out all the tickets, that is 73 thousand seats filling the whole stadium. Thus, the musicians beat the Polish record and sold more tickets than Metallica or Coldplay.[127]

On 16 July 2019, the rapper announced the release of his new album titled Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19 on 9 August and pre-orders for the album have begun.[128] The musician wrote on Instagram that despite the announced hiatus, he couldn't help himself and will release the new album in the summer, as he does every year.[128] For the first time on the album, the rapper invited guests, other musicians such as Pezet, Dawid Podsiadło, schafter, Kizo, Ras and Rosalie appeared.[129] On 23 July 2019, around 10 p.m., the album was unexpectedly released electronically on YouTube and streaming services such as Spotify among others, as always the rapper made the entire album available for free MP3 download on his website.[129] The rapper debuted at number one on the Polish sales list - OLiS for the fourth time in a row and held the top spot for three weeks.[130] The album sold 15,000 copies in pre-sales and was certified gold by ZPAV on 21 August 2019.[131][132] The album received generally good reviews from critics.[133][134][135] Songs from the album titled "W piątki leżę w wannie" and "Sanatorium" hit the charts in Polish radio stations.[136] On 15 August, the artist made a guest appearance in Kizo's single "Niebieski Bentley".[137] The rapper also made a guest appearance on Pezet's album, Muzyka Współczesna in the song "2K30".[138] On 30 October 2019, the album achieved platinum status for selling over 30,000 copies.[139] In October, the rapper appeared on the 10th place of Most Influential Poles 2019 according to the Wprost.[140] On 6 November 2019, the artist made a guest appearance on schafter's single titled "Bigos" for which a music video was also released.[141] The song reached number 1 in the timecard on YouTube and Spotify platforms.[142] Also in November, he appeared as a guest star in two songs on Bedoes' album, entitled "Opowieści z doliny smoków".[143]

At the beginning of 2020, he embarked on his sixth tour entitled Pocztówka z Polski Tour. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the tour was postponed to a later date.[144] The album Pocztówka z WWA received nominations for many awards including the 2020 Fryderyk Awards and Empik Bestsellers 2019 and was the tenth highest selling album in Poland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he took part in the #hot16challenge campaign to promote fundraising for medical personnel. He himself donated PLN 100,000 to the cause. In his stanza, he announced that he might be releasing a few albums in July. On 25 June 2020, a photo of the rapper from the studio Nagrywarka surfaced, announcing that a new album was in the making.[145] On 3 July, he made a guest appearance in Artur Rojek's single "A miało być jak we śnie", to which a video was made.[146] In July 2020, the rapper together with the group PRO8L3M founded a music publishing company called 2020.[147] On 10 July 2020, the day before the election silence, a single entitled "Polskie Tango" was released, which depicts the Polish mentality, expresses concern about the state of the country and refers to the political situation in Poland, criticizing it. The single is a preview of the album titled Jarmark, announced for summer 2020.[148] The single broke the daily playback record in Poland on Spotify, which previously also belonged to his song "W piątki leżę wannie", gaining over 560 thousand plays. On YouTube, he garnered over 2.5 million views in 24 hours of publication also breaking the record.[149] On July 28, the rapper announced via Instagram that the release of the albums has been postponed from July to late August/early September.[150] On 29 July 2020, the single "Michael Essien Birthday Party" came out on the rapper's birthday, announcing a new album titled Europa, which along with Jarmark will come out on 4 September 2020. Pre-orders for the albums also started on the same day.[150] On 28 August 2020, the rapper again unexpectedly released the album titled Jarmark, making it available on streaming services and for free download on his website.[151] On 4 September 2020, the album Europa went on sale in a physical version, along with the album Jarmark, in stores nationwide and was made available on streaming services and for free download on his website. The artist debuted at number one on the OLiS chart for the fifth consecutive year with the album Jarmark, with the album Europa coming in second. Together with the albums, there were as many as seven albums of the artist on the list, which made the rapper equal to Czesław Niemen's record for the number of albums in one OLiS listing.[152] The albums gained gold status on 24 September 2020. The album received mixed reviews, critics accused the rapper that from the heavy topics he touched upon on the album Jarmark, such as national politics or the Church in Poland, the artist too often throws truisms and banalities, having nothing interesting to say.[153] In turn, some critics praised the rapper for finally having someone from the popular music world trying to address such topics and teach the youth.[154] The album Europa received average reviews, critics claimed that the album is uneven, sometimes interesting, and then it becomes shallow in places.[155] In the same year, he received two nominations to the Fryderyk Awards 2021, for the album Jarmark in the category Album of the Year hip-hop and for "Polskie Tango" in the category Song of The Year. In 2020, he gave an interview with PRO8L3M for the website Newonce, where he stated that he now wants to mainly focus on publishing and helping new young artists in his new label.[156]

Personal life

[edit]

He is in a relationship with Iga Lis, daughter of Polish journalist Tomasz Lis.[157] In a 2016 interview for Sport.pl he stated that he is a fan of the football team Tottenham Hotspur.[158] He identifies as an atheist.[159]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
POL
[160]
Marmur 3
Soma 0,5 mg
(with Quebonafide as Taconafide) 		1
Café Belga
  • Released: 13 July 2018
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 1
Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19
  • Released: 23 July 2019
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 1
Jarmark
  • Released: 4 September 2020
  • Label: Taco Corp, 2020
  • Format: CD, LP digital download
 1
Europa
  • Released: 4 September 2020
  • Label: Taco Corp, 2020
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 2
1-800-Oświecenie
  • Released: 22 September 2023
  • Label: 2020
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 1
LATARNIE WSZĘDZIE DAWNO ZGASŁY
  • Released: 19 December 2025
  • Label: 2020
  • Format: CD, digital download, cassette
 1
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
POL
[160]
Young Hems
  • Released: 26 December 2013
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD
 — [citation needed]
Trójkąt Warszawski
  • Released: 19 December 2014
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 3
Umowa o Dzieło
  • Released: 27 June 2015
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 2
Wosk
  • Released: 26 July 2016
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 14
Szprycer
  • Released: 30 July 2017
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
 1
Flagey
  • Released: 13 July 2018
  • Label: Taco Corp, Asfalt Records
  • Format: CD, LP[169]
 — [citation needed]
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
POL
[170]
"6 zer" 2015 — Umowa o Dzieło
"Deszcz na betonie" 2016 — Marmur
"Nostalgia" 2017 — Szprycer
"Art-B"
(with Quebonafide as Taconafide) 		2018 — Soma 0,5 mg
"Tamagotchi"
(with Quebonafide as Taconafide) 		22
"Metallica 808"
(with Quebonafide as Taconafide) 		—
"Kryptowaluty"
(with Quebonafide as Taconafide) 		—
"Polskie tango" 2020 — Jarmark
"Michael Essien Birthday Party" — Europa
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

Other charted songs

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
POL
[170]
"Fiji" 2018 26 Café Belga
"W piątki leże w wannie"
(with Dawid Podsiadło) 		2019 63 Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19
"ZAKOCHAŁEM SIĘ POD APTEKĄ" 2025 42 LATARNIE WSZĘDZIE DAWNO ZGASŁY

Guest appearances

[edit]
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Postaranie" 2015 Małe Miasta Koń
"Lek Przeciwbólowy" Rasmentalism, Sokół Prosto Mixtape IV
"SumieNIE" 2017 Otsochodzi, Holak, O.S.T.R. Nowy Kolor
"Nowy Kolor" Otsochodzi
"Fast Food" 2018 Rasmentalism, Rosalie Tango
"Chłopaki nie płaczą" Bedoes Kwiat Polskiej Młodzieży
"Napad na bankiet" 2019 Sokół, PRO8L3M Wojtek Sokół
"Haute Couture" 2020 TUZZA Globale Giardino
"TOKYO2020" Quebonafide Romantic Psycho
"Patrol" 2021 CatchUp, Kacperczyk Perypetie
"Kurtz" Mata Młody Matczak
"ADHD" 2022 Oki PRODUKT47
"Dresscode" White 2115, Bedoes Rodzinny biznes
"SUPRO" 2023 Daria Zawiałow Dziewczyna pop
"'Tak to leciało!'" 2024 Otsochodzi TTHE GRIND

Tours

[edit]
  • Następna stacja Tour (2015)
  • Marmur Tour (2016)
  • 2017 Tour (2017)
  • Ekodiesel Tour (as Taconafide) (2018)
  • Café Belga Tour (2018)
  • Pocztówka z Polski Tour (2020)
  • 2020/2021/2022 Tour[171] (2022)
  • 1-800-TOUR (2024)
  • 2026 Tour (2026)

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Taco Hemingway

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Filip Tadeusz Szcześniak (born 29 July 1990), known professionally as Taco Hemingway, is a Polish rapper, songwriter, and record producer whose music blends introspective narratives with urban themes, revitalizing interest in Polish hip-hop through literary lyricism and relatable storytelling. Born in Cairo, Egypt, to Polish parents working abroad, Szcześniak spent early childhood in China before returning to Poland, where he later studied at Warsaw University's Institute of Polish Culture. His breakthrough came with the 2014 mixtape Trójkąt Warszawski, an EP that vividly portrayed Warsaw's social undercurrents and earned widespread attention for its raw, unpolished style. Subsequent releases solidified his prominence, including the 2015 album Umowa o Dzieło and the 2016 effort Marmur, which achieved gold certification and a Fryderyk Award nomination for Hip-Hop/R&B Album of the Year. In 2017, Szprycer won the Fryderyk for Album of the Year in the hip-hop category, while his 2018 collaboration Soma 0.5 mg with Quebonafide as Taconafide reached multi-platinum status, marking one of his commercial peaks. Hemingway's influence extends to large-scale performances, such as a 2019 sold-out concert at Warsaw's National Stadium drawing 73,000 attendees alongside , and rankings among Poland's most influential cultural figures. His discography emphasizes self-assured commentary on personal and societal issues, from city life to broader social dynamics, fostering active fan engagement and establishing him as a pivotal voice in contemporary Polish music.

Early life

Family background and childhood

Filip Tadeusz Szcześniak, professionally known as Taco Hemingway, was born on July 29, 1990, in , Egypt, where his parents resided for professional reasons. His father worked in an export-import firm, a role that involved international assignments and prompted the family's relocations abroad. The family maintained strong Polish cultural ties despite these moves, with Szcześniak's household emphasizing bilingual communication: English with his mother and sister, and Polish with his father. At age two, Szkońniak relocated with his parents to China, initially attending an English-language preschool, which exposed him to multicultural environments from an early age. The family's peripatetic lifestyle, driven by his father's career, continued until their return to Poland during his pre-teen years, fostering an upbringing marked by transience between continents while rooted in Polish heritage. His parents divorced in 2004, when he was 14, after which his mother took a position in in .

Education and early influences

Filip Szcześniak, known professionally as Taco Hemingway, was born on July 29, 1990, in , Egypt, to Polish parents, and moved with his family to , , at the age of two, where he attended an English-language . The family later relocated to , , where Szcześniak grew up bilingual, speaking English with his mother and sister while using Polish with his father. He completed his secondary education at the Mikołaj Kopernik Bilingual High School in Warsaw, graduating with the diploma and achieving top scores in and , history, and English, reflecting an early aptitude for literary and analytical subjects. Szcześniak enrolled in at the University of Warsaw's Institute of Polish Culture but did not complete the program, instead pursuing further academic opportunities abroad. In 2012, he began a in at , spending a year in the city, though he ultimately prioritized creative endeavors over finishing the degree. These formal studies exposed him to interdisciplinary perspectives on culture and society, aligning with his later thematic interests, but no records indicate completion of advanced or attendance at the . Before entering music production, Szcześniak engaged in pre-professional creative activities, including work as a translator and in an , which honed his linguistic and narrative skills. He also produced a viral video parodying the film Downfall by overlaying subtitles about nightlife onto scenes of , demonstrating early experimentation with multimedia storytelling and humor. These pursuits, under his initial alias FV, preceded his self-produced music tracks starting around 2011, driven by personal interest in English-language rap influences rather than commercial ambitions.

Musical career

Beginnings and mixtapes (2011–2013)

Taco Hemingway, born Filip Szcześniak, began his musical endeavors in 2011 under the pseudonym Foodvillain, releasing the English-language Who Killed JFK? on August 30 as a self-produced independent project. The featured abstract hip-hop elements with beats inspired by producers like , distributed freely online without label backing. This initial output reflected experimental, underground-style rap focused on personal and conspiratorial themes, marking Szcześniak's entry into recording as a hobbyist effort amid his studies. By late 2013, adopting the stage name Taco Hemingway, he issued the EP Young Hems on December 23 via platforms like , followed by a upload on December 26, again as a free digital release comprising eight tracks in English. Tracks such as "Fuck Your List," "Listening to ," and "Blueberries" showcased raw, minimalist production with introspective lyrics on youth, ambition, and urban ennui, produced independently without significant collaborations. The EP garnered niche attention in online hip-hop circles, circulating through shares and forums, establishing a small following among Polish and international listeners interested in alternative rap. These early releases operated outside mainstream channels, relying on digital platforms for distribution and building modest online traction through word-of-mouth in Warsaw's nascent rap scene, setting the stage for his shift toward Polish-language work. Without promotional budgets or venue circuits, the period emphasized self-reliant output, with Young Hems receiving retrospective note for its unpolished authenticity in underground reviews.

Breakthrough albums (2014–2016)

Taco Hemingway's EP Trójkąt Warszawski, released on December 19, 2014, marked his initial foray into narrative-driven hip-hop, depicting three protagonists navigating Warsaw's underbelly through interconnected tracks that evoke urban isolation and interpersonal disconnection. The self-released project, comprising seven songs, was initially offered as a free download, which facilitated rapid dissemination and built anticipation for physical editions. A re-release in August 2015 propelled it to the second position on Poland's OLiS chart, with approximately 15,000 copies sold, underscoring its commercial traction amid millennial themes of existential drift and city-induced alienation. Following this momentum, Umowa o dzieło, another EP, debuted digitally on June 27, 2015, expanding on introspective motifs of precarious freelance existence, social pressures, and youthful disillusionment in contemporary . Featuring eight tracks, it secured the third spot on the OLiS chart upon its August 2015 CD release, achieving gold with around 10,000 units sold, a testament to its resonance in quantifying breakthrough via empirical metrics rather than anecdotal hype. The EP's production emphasized raw, revelatory beats, drawing mixed but generally positive commentary for deepening Taco's literary-style lyricism, though some critiques noted technical inconsistencies. These releases collectively sold over 40,000 physical copies by late 2015, elevating Taco from underground mixtape circulation to mainstream visibility and paving the way for major-label alignments and full-length albums in 2016. While not securing Fryderyk Awards—nominations for hip-hop categories emerged later with subsequent works—the EPs' chart dominance and certification highlighted a causal shift driven by authentic over polished pop concessions, distinguishing Taco's ascent in Poland's hip-hop scene.

Collaborative projects and international forays (2017–2018)

In 2018, Taco Hemingway formed the duo Taconafide with rapper Quebonafide, releasing their collaborative album Soma 0.5 mg on April 13. The project integrated Hemingway's narrative-driven verses with Quebonafide's melodic and introspective approach, yielding 15 tracks that debuted at number one on Polish charts and earned diamond certification from ZPAV for surpassing 100,000 units sold. This marked a departure from solo endeavors, emphasizing stylistic fusion over individual branding, with the album's success—over 150,000 copies by some estimates—demonstrating the viability of high-profile Polish rap pairings. The duo promoted Soma 0.5 mg via the Ekodiesel Tour from April 19 to 28, staging seven arena concerts in Polish cities including , Wrocław, Poznań, and Kraków. These performances drew substantial crowds, exceeding 25,000 attendees across four documented shows, underscoring domestic demand but highlighting limited expansion beyond during this period. Hemingway's international forays included the July 13 release of Café Belga, a solo album thematically rooted in locales like the titular café, paired with the accompanying EP Flagey. These works experimented with French rap influences and expatriate urban narratives, aiming to test broader European stylistic appeal through refined production and multilingual nods, though reception remained predominantly Polish-centric with incremental streaming upticks abroad. The projects reflected calculated risks in diversifying from established formulas, prioritizing artistic evolution over immediate global breakthroughs.

Peak commercial success (2019–2020)

Taco Hemingway's fourth studio album, Pocztówka z WWA, Lato '19, released on July 23, 2019, marked a significant commercial milestone, selling over 90,000 copies and achieving platinum certification in Poland. The album amassed 281 million streams on Spotify, contributing to his rising digital dominance. Its success built on prior releases, with tracks like "W piątki leżę w wannie" exceeding 67 million streams individually. In October 2019, Hemingway followed with Jarmark, a politically charged project critiquing contemporary societal and cultural shifts in Poland, which sold 30,000 units and attained platinum status within weeks of release. The album's 166 million streams underscored its appeal amid polarized discourse. The 2020 release of Europa on September 4 sustained momentum during the , leveraging digital streaming platforms as live events were curtailed. Developed concurrently with Jarmark, it reinforced his market position through online accessibility. By early 2021, Hemingway became the first Polish artist to surpass 1 billion total streams, driven by these releases' cumulative impact.

Recent releases and evolution (2021–present)

Following the commercial peaks of 2019 and 2020, Taco Hemingway maintained a lower output in and , releasing singles such as the "YIN YANG (Remix)" in 2021 and "club2020" in 2022, distributed independently via digital platforms. These tracks aligned with his ongoing self-managed approach through Taco Corp Discography, focusing on streaming accessibility without major label involvement. On September 22, 2023, Hemingway released his eighth studio , 1-800-OŚWIECENIE, a 27-track project issued via his 2020 imprint, comprising original songs and freestyles exploring personal themes. The debuted at number one on Polish Spotify charts and garnered over 200 million streams by August 2024, contributing to his cumulative artist streams exceeding 2 billion. This success underscored his adaptation to streaming-dominant consumption, with direct enabling rapid fan access and sustained playlist placements. In 2024, Hemingway marked the 10th anniversary of his debut by remastering and reissuing Trójkąt Warszawski, enhancing audio quality for modern playback while preserving original content. Supporting 1-800-OŚWIECENIE, he launched the 1-800 Tour, performing in key Polish venues including on May 17, on May 24, on June 15, and on June 22, emphasizing live fan interaction amid sold-out capacities. A sole 2025 appearance is confirmed at BitterSweet Festival, signaling selective touring to balance output with audience demand. These efforts reflect a strategic pivot toward hybrid engagement—leveraging independent releases for streaming volume and targeted tours for direct revenue and loyalty, without reliance on traditional intermediaries.

Artistic style and influences

Lyrical themes and literary approach

Taco Hemingway's lyrics frequently explore motifs tied to his roots, portraying the city as a dynamic yet alienating backdrop for modern Polish life. In albums like Marmur (2015), he evokes urban routines through references to everyday figures such as taxi drivers and waiters, constructing a mythology of the capital's nightlife and transient spaces. This Warsaw-centric lens extends to critiques of , as seen in "6 zer," where he juxtaposes aspirational symbols like Nike , iPhones, and Porsches against the instability of "junk contracts" that hinder long-term planning, reflecting the of post-communist economic aspirations. Personal emerges as a recurring undercurrent, manifesting in introspective examinations of millennial disillusionment and the emptiness of material success. Tracks often convey a sense of existential drift amid 's , shifting from individual ennui—such as fleeting relationships and urban isolation—to broader societal pressures like political fear and eroded national faith, exemplified in "Polskie Tango" from the album Szprycer (2017), where the line "Latarnie wszędzie dawno zgasły" ("Lanterns everywhere have long been extinguished") symbolizes lost hope, darkness, and desolation in Polish society, representing the absence of light, guidance, or optimism amid possible moral, cultural, or political decline; this is contrasted with ironic resilience in the following "ulice puste, tylko my tu tańczymy polskie tango" ("streets empty, only we dance Polish tango here"), depicting defiant persistence and absurd continuation of life in chaotic, melancholic Polish reality, as part of a satirical commentary on politics, religion, nationalism, and everyday absurdities, alongside declarations of disbelief in Poland akin to outgrowing . This evolution marks a departure from early autobiographical partying anthems toward commentary on urban inequities and generational stagnation, encouraging reflection on personal and collective hardships without resorting to overt survival narratives typical of earlier Polish rap. His literary approach draws on narrative restraint reminiscent of —whose surname he adopted as part of his stage name—favoring concise, vivid storytelling over bombast to imply deeper subtexts. Rather than macho bravado common in hip-hop, Hemingway employs self-reflexive irony to subvert genre conventions, weaving cultural allusions and precise observations into flows that prioritize psychological depth and societal observation over aggression. This method grounds his work in first-person vignettes that build cumulative insight, using Warsaw's post-1989 transformation as a canvas for dissecting identity amid rapid change.

Production and musical elements

Taco Hemingway's early productions relied on rudimentary home setups, with initial recordings conducted in his mother's basement starting around age 17 in 2007. These efforts culminated in his 2011 English-language Who Killed JFK? under the alias Foodvillain, featuring basic instrumentation typical of underground hip-hop at the time. By his 2013 EP Young Hems, the sound retained a raw foundation, characterized by sampled drums and minimalistic loops, aligning with early Polish hip-hop's emphasis on straightforward beats. Collaborations with producers became central from 2014 onward, including Rumak on tracks like "Sznycel" from Umowa o dzieło (2015), which blended sampled hooks with punchy percussion. Later works involved Zeppy Zep for select cuts, such as "Cichosza" featuring Otsochodzi. Sampling drew heavily from Polish sources, as in "Polskie Tango" from Marmur (2016), which incorporated elements from Łona and Webber's "Patrz Szerzej" and dialogue from the film Dzień świra. Post-2016 releases marked a shift toward polished , evident in albums like Szprycer (2017) and Euforia (2018 under Taconafide with Quebonafide), where cores integrated electronic synth layers and refined mixing for broader commercial appeal. This evolution included global samples alongside Polish motifs, transitioning from home-recorded sparsity to studio-processed depth, as utilized in facilities like Warsaw's Nagrywarka for later projects. Collaborative phases, such as Taconafide, introduced hybrid beats fusing trap influences with multilingual phrasing in ad-libs, though core tracks remained Polish-dominant.

Influences from Polish culture and global hip-hop

Taco Hemingway's lyrical approach echoes the raw, narrative-focused ethos of early Polish hip-hop, prioritizing literary craftsmanship and over polished flow or bravado. This foundation aligns with the genre's origins in late-communist and immediate post-1989 Poland, where rap emerged as a medium for documenting societal flux, including the shift from state-controlled economies to market-driven . His tracks often reference defunct nightlife spots and everyday figures like taxi drivers, embedding motifs of urban reinvention and cultural dislocation in the post-communist era. Polish literary traditions further shape his output, infusing hip-hop with introspective reminiscent of national authors, though adapted to rhythmic verse that critiques modern alienation amid economic booms. As a middle-class voice in rap, Hemingway's rise parallels Poland's post-2008 prosperity, using the form to dissect personal ambition against broader national transitions from scarcity to abundance. On the global stage, his sound hybridizes these local roots with international hip-hop currents, notably the melodic introspection and trap-infused production of North American artists like Drake, as seen in singles such as "6 Zer" that layer emotional vulnerability over atmospheric beats. This cross-pollination yields a style less parochial than many domestic peers, blending U.S.-style narrative rap with Polish specificity to evoke cosmopolitan detachment in tracks exploring identity amid .

Reception and legacy

Commercial achievements

Taco Hemingway has achieved significant streaming success, with over 2.2 billion lead artist streams on as of recent metrics. He became the first Polish artist to surpass 1 billion total streams on the platform in April 2021. Multiple albums have received platinum certifications from ZPAV, 's association, each denoting at least 30,000 units sold. Examples include Café Belga in 2018 and Marmur among others certified in subsequent years. His collaborative album Soma 0.5 mg with Quebonafide exceeded 150,000 copies sold. These figures establish him as one of the highest-selling rappers in , outpacing many contemporaries in physical and digital unit sales within the hip-hop genre. He has won four Fryderyk Awards for Hip-Hop Album of the Year, recognizing commercial and artistic impact in the Polish market. Additional nominations, including for Marmur and Café Belga, highlight sustained industry acknowledgment.

Critical assessments

Taco Hemingway has received acclaim from critics for pioneering a literary approach to Polish rap, emphasizing intricate , social observation, and narrative depth that elevates hip-hop beyond traditional bravado. Reviewers have highlighted his charismatic delivery and clever , positioning him as a sharp chronicler of contemporary Polish life, as seen in albums like Marmur, where his ability to blend personal introspection with broader societal critique earned praise for confirming his status as a masterful . This innovation has been credited with expanding the genre's intellectual appeal, drawing comparisons to poetic traditions while maintaining raw emotional resonance over polished technical virtuosity. However, detractors have criticized aspects of his oeuvre for perceived and detachment from hip-hop's street-rooted authenticity, noting his admission of a privileged upbringing that contrasts with the genre's typical narratives. Some assessments point to repetitive themes in his , particularly in Jarmark (2020), where observations on , clerical , and national complacency are dismissed as obvious truisms lacking fresh insight or nuance, reducing complex issues to simplified griping akin to everyday discourse. His shift toward explicit political engagement, exemplified by tracks like "Polskie Tango" critiquing Poland's right-wing government on issues such as LGBTQ+ and , provoked sharp backlash from conservative outlets and , with accusations of partisan overreach and cultural provocation leading to threats and personal attacks. Hemingway himself reflected on this pivot as an uncomfortable entanglement in , underscoring debates over whether his raw, unrefined stylistic appeal justifies the alienation of audiences expecting apolitical . Conservative commentators, often sidelined in mainstream , have questioned his alignment with traditional Polish values, viewing his commentary as emblematic of urban liberal detachment rather than genuine populist resonance.

Cultural impact on Polish hip-hop

Taco Hemingway contributed to a shift in Polish hip-hop towards introspective and -driven styles, emphasizing literary elements and urban storytelling over prevailing gangsta or boastful tropes dominant in earlier acts. His 2014 Trójkąt Warszawski exemplified this by weaving a cohesive seven-track about love and life, drawing from early Polish hip-hop's raw, non-derivative ethos while incorporating relatable protagonists like taxi drivers and waiters. This approach resonated amid Poland's post-2010 economic expansion, aligning with middle-class millennial experiences of and , as seen in tracks like "6 zer" (2015), which critiqued "junk contracts" and aspirational brands such as Nike and . His free online releases facilitated rapid dissemination via emerging platforms around 2014–2015, enabling Trójkąt Warszawski and Umowa o Dzieło (2015) to debut at numbers 2 and 3 on the OLiS charts without traditional promotion, thus democratizing access and boosting genre visibility. The 2018 collaborative album Soma 0,5 mg with Quebonafide, which sold 120,000 copies and drew tens of thousands to festivals like Open’er, marked a commercial and stylistic turning point, blending introspective rap with broader appeal and influencing subsequent works on Polish identity and themes. Such projects helped elevate hip-hop's cultural footprint, culminating in a record-setting 73,000-attendee at Warsaw's National Stadium in May 2019 alongside . Taco Hemingway's lyrics often narrated post-communist transition anxieties, evolving from party-oriented tracks to examinations of social issues like and rights debates in Pocztówka z WWA, Lato ’19 (2019), though this drew conservative backlash and prompted his reticence toward overt political roles. As the first Polish to surpass one billion Spotify streams, his domestic dominance underscored hip-hop's maturation into a mainstream vehicle for generational discourse, yet empirical evidence of direct imitators remains sparse, with genre evolution attributable more to collective market dynamics than singular innovation. This impact's scale owes substantially to temporal alignment with digital streaming's ascent and 's GDP growth from €380 billion in 2010 to over €700 billion by 2020, amplifying themes of affluence and unease among a digitally native audience, rather than stylistic superiority alone. Global reach stayed constrained by linguistic barriers, confining substantial influence to despite isolated international coverage.

Personal life

Relationships and family

Taco Hemingway, born Filip Szcześniak, has maintained a long-term relationship with filmmaker Iga Lis, daughter of Polish journalist Tomasz Lis, publicly confirmed in late 2018 through a shared social media post. The couple has addressed occasional breakup rumors, such as in June 2021, by publicly affirming their bond via Instagram, indicating ongoing commitment despite limited personal disclosures. They have collaborated professionally, including Lis directing videos and films featuring Hemingway, such as the 2023 track "Gelato" and a 2025 project where he reflected on personal fortune in relationships. No verified reports indicate marriage or children as of October 2025, with the couple prioritizing privacy over tabloid scrutiny, as evidenced by sparse public details beyond occasional joint appearances and . Hemingway's background includes Polish parents who resided abroad during his early years, leading to his birth in , , on July 29, 1990, and relocation to , , at age two, fostering a bilingual upbringing in English and Polish. His parents divorced in 2004, and he has one sister, with the international mobility likely tied to professional postings that provided relative stability amid frequent moves.

Political and philosophical views

Taco Hemingway, whose real name is Filip Szcześniak, has articulated political views largely through his rather than explicit manifestos, with a notable shift toward commentary on Polish emerging in amid the rule of the right-wing (PiS) party. In the single "Polskie Tango," released on July 10, , he satirizes aspects of PiS policies, including their opposition to environmental regulations portrayed as unpatriotic and critiques of judicial reforms implied through references to institutional erosion. The track's viral success positioned it as a anthem against perceived authoritarian tendencies, though Hemingway later expressed about its politicization, noting in interviews that he aimed to highlight systemic flaws without endorsing partisan opposition. This engagement extended to his double album Jarmark and Europa (September 2020), where Jarmark—the more politically oriented half—examines Poland's post-communist trajectory, consumerism, and populist dynamics, framing them as distortions of rather than wholesale endorsements of any . Hemingway has described the work as a response to the "populist turn," critiquing how economic successes coexist with cultural and institutional declines, but he avoids aligning with left-liberal coalitions, emphasizing instead a detached observation of societal hypocrisies on both populist flanks. Following these releases, he faced backlash from conservative media, which accused him of , prompting reflections on the risks of artistic intervention in polarized debates. Philosophically, Hemingway's output underscores a preference for personal over mobilization, as seen in recurring motifs of individual navigation through systemic chaos, though he has not formalized these into a coherent . In a New York Times profile, he rejected notions of unpatriotic , arguing that questioning power structures aligns with pragmatic realism rather than ideological fervor. This stance reflects a wariness of , prioritizing empirical critique of failures—such as policy inconsistencies—over abstract partisan loyalty.

Controversies

Involvement in political discourse

Taco Hemingway's involvement in Polish political discourse peaked in through lyrical critiques embedded in his , rather than direct or public endorsements. In , he collaborated with rapper Lanek on the single "Polskie Tango," released two days before the presidential election, which satirized the ruling (PiS) party's positions on environmental policies, LGBTQ+ rights, and women's issues, with lines decrying conspiracy-laden rhetoric like vaccine skepticism and portraying national disillusionment as "I stopped believing in a long time ago." The track gained traction as a in anti-PiS demonstrations, incorporating symbols like the "eight stars" representing vulgar opposition to the party, yet elicited backlash from conservative audiences and journalists who viewed it as partisan bias against the government rather than neutral commentary. This shift marked a departure from his earlier apolitical focus on urban life and partying, positioning him amid Poland's culture wars over and social divides, though he later reflected on the experience as "tangled up in " and inherently unpleasant due to ensuing attacks. His Jarmark, released in August 2020 as the politically oriented half of the project, delved into dilemmas, alienation, and cascading societal anger—exemplified in the trilogy "Łańcuch" (Chain), which traces frustration rippling through Warsaw's everyday interactions amid populist tensions—serving as a diagnostic of Poland's post-communist fractures without prescribing solutions. Interpretations varied: while left-leaning listeners hailed it as resistance to PiS-driven , right-leaning critics accused it of anti-conservative slant and cultural , with some dismissing the rapper's introspection as opportunistic amid his commercial dominance. Hemingway consistently avoided overt political organizing or endorsements, limiting engagement to introspective tracks that implicate broader Polish complacency in governance failures, as in his attribution of polarization to national self-inflicted wounds rather than unilateral blame on the ruling party. His reticence toward interviews and social media further underscored a preference for artistic mediation over activist immersion, though this stance drew secondary critique for evading accountability in the discourses his work ignited. Subsequent releases reverted to less partisan themes, signaling no sustained pivot to explicit advocacy.

Criticisms of artistic persona and industry role

Some detractors within the Polish hip-hop community have questioned Taco Hemingway's authenticity, arguing that his middle-class urban background and focus on the precariat's existential concerns distance him from the genre's traditional working-class and street-oriented . Critics contend this bourgeois perspective prioritizes , literary narratives over the raw socio-economic struggles central to hip-hop's origins, positioning him as a voice for privileged rather than authentic representatives of hardship. A recurring label applied to Hemingway, often echoed in media and academic , describes him as the "voice of that has nothing to say," a phrase he self-applied in tracks like the opening of Wosk (2016), highlighting perceived superficiality in his post-early success output. This critique suggests reliance on hype-driven releases and —evident in the rapid ascent from free mixtapes like Trójkąt Warszawski (2015) to stadium-filling tours—over substantive lyrical evolution, with some accusing him of coasting on initial novelty without deeper industry contributions beyond commercial dominance. Regarding gender dynamics, while Hemingway has explicitly critiqued macho tropes in Polish hip-hop through self-reflexive lyrics challenging patriotic bravado and toxic masculinity, detractors note unresolved elements of performative toughness and relational detachment in his , such as in depictions of interpersonal conflicts that echo genre conventions he otherwise subverts. This tension underscores broader debates on whether his intellectual detachment fully escapes the very industry he interrogates.

Discography

Studio albums

TitleRelease dateLabelPeak OLiS positionCertifications
Trójkąt WarszawskiDecember 19, 2014Taco Corp——
MarmurNovember 3, 2016Taco Corp, Asfalt Records14Platinum (ZPAV)
Café BelgaJuly 13, 2018Taco Corp, Asfalt Records——
JarmarkAugust 28, 2020Taco Corp, 20201—
EuropaSeptember 4, 202020202—
1-800-OświecenieSeptember 22, 202320201Double platinum (ZPAV)
Latarnie wszędzie dawno zgasłyDecember 19, 20252020——

Mixtapes and extended plays

Taco Hemingway's debut mixtape, Who Killed JFK?, released under the pseudonym Foodvillain on August 30, 2011, consisted of English-language tracks drawing from underground and abstract hip-hop influences. This self-released project represented his initial experiments in rap production and lyricism, establishing an early online presence through digital sharing platforms. On December 26, 2013, Taco Hemingway (adopting his primary ) followed with Young Hems, a six-track English-language EP available digitally via , featuring introspective themes over production. Tracks such as "Fuck Your List" and "Listening to " highlighted personal narratives and influences from Western hip-hop, aiding in cultivating a niche following among Polish listeners interested in bilingual content. Szprycer, an EP with nine tracks spanning 35 minutes, emerged on August 25, 2017, via Asfalt Records, shifting toward with shorter, melodic structures like "Nostalgia" and "Chodź." Released during a peak in his commercial trajectory, it served as an experimental bridge between full-length albums, emphasizing concise and lighter production. In July 2018, Flagey EP delivered five tracks on , produced primarily by Rumak, Borucci, and Zeppy Zep, including collaborations like "Pokédex" with Otsochodzi. Clocking in at under 17 minutes, this Brussels-recorded set explored club-oriented and nostalgic vibes, distributed through Taco Corp and contributing to his diversification beyond traditional hip-hop formats. These mixtapes and EPs, often digitally distributed at low or no cost via platforms like and independent labels, functioned as formative vehicles for artistic refinement and audience engagement before his breakthrough studio .

Singles and collaborations

Taco Hemingway's singles often blend introspective lyrics with mainstream appeal, achieving substantial streaming success. Solo releases include "SUPRO" in 2023 and "Gelato | Makarena Freestyle" in the same year, both listed as official singles on streaming platforms. More recently, "Znalazłem pieniądze" was issued in , contributing to his ongoing chart presence. Collaborations have been particularly impactful, with the Taconafide project alongside Quebonafide yielding standout singles like "" (2018), which has surpassed 87 million streams on . Other Taconafide releases, including "Art-B" and "Metallica 808," also charted prominently on Polish streaming services. Notable guest features encompass "Nowy kolor" with Otsochodzi (2017), blending trap elements and earning millions of plays. In 2023, "Tak to leciało" featuring Otsochodzi reached number 94 on Spotify's Poland daily chart. These tracks underscore Hemingway's versatility in partnering with peers to produce verifiable hits, as measured by streaming metrics rather than traditional sales.

Tours and performances

Major tours

Taco Hemingway's Marmur Tour in marked a significant escalation in his live performances, featuring 21 concerts across following the album's release. Notable stops included November 8 at Kwadrat in and November 11 in various cities, showcasing his rising popularity in mid-sized venues. The Ekodiesel Tour in 2018, conducted as the duo Taconafide alongside Quebonafide, comprised seven arena concerts from April 19 to 28, held in Poland's largest indoor venues to promote their joint releases Soma 0,5 mg and 0,25 mg. Key performances occurred at Hala Torwar in on April 21, with production for four shows in , , , and attracting over 25,000 attendees collectively. The Pocztówka z Polski Tour, initiated in February 2020 to support Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19, included early dates such as March 7 at the International Congress Centre in and March 8 at Skwer Millenium Hall in before the halted proceedings, leading to cancellations and rescheduling attempts. In 2024, the 1-800 Tour promoted 1-800-Oświecenie with multiple sold-out arena shows, including May 17 in Katowice, May 24 at Ergo Arena in Gdańsk, June 8 at Hala Stulecia in Wrocław, June 15 at Tauron Arena in Kraków, and June 22 at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw.

Live reception and innovations

Taco Hemingway's live performances have received acclaim for their high energy, charismatic delivery, and strong audience interaction, often featuring crowds singing along to hits. The 2018 Ekodiesel Tour with Quebonafide, promoting their collaborative album Soma 0,5 mg, played to packed arenas including Tauron Arena Kraków and Hala Torwar in Warsaw, drawing over 25,000 fans per show in multiple cities. The 2024 1-800 Tour, tied to the album 1-800-Oświecenie, showcased sold-out venues across , with reviewers highlighting the production quality and setlists blending new tracks like "Nostalgia" and "6 zer" with classics such as "Deszcz na betonie." The tour's finale on June 22, 2024, at PGE Narodowy in marked a milestone as his first solo , attracting around 80,000 attendees and described as a "historic evening" for its scale and fan devotion. During this event, Hemingway paused to openly address his experiences with depression, urging audiences not to isolate themselves in struggles. Subsequent appearances, such as at BitterSweet Festival in on August 16, 2025, maintained enthusiastic reception, with fans compensating for the absence of collaborators through fervent participation despite no new material previews. Hemingway has innovated in live production by incorporating sophisticated and narrative elements, evident in 2019 joint shows with where clips and staging created a "world-class" atmosphere. His adoption of advanced lighting systems, like PROLIGHTS fixtures offering expansive color ranges during tours, enhances thematic immersion. In 2025, he adapted his debut album Trójkąt Warszawski into a theatrical spectacle, framing rap albums as poetic prose to deepen experiential engagement. These elements, combined with scaling rap to levels solo, distinguish his approach in Polish hip-hop.

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  26. https://tvn24.pl/tvn24-news-in-english/taco-hemingway-becomes-first-polish-artist-with-1-billion-spotify-streams-st5062736
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  28. https://www.discogs.com/artist/4320863-Taco-Hemingway
  29. https://open.spotify.com/album/2ItrzcwLrygr4I6wlZ3HGU
  30. https://www.eventworld.co/taco-hemingway-tickets/
  31. https://bittersweetfestival.pl/en/taco-hemingway/
  32. https://notesfrompoland.com/2025/10/26/how-hip-hop-has-narrated-polands-post-communist-transformation/
  33. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/30/arts/music/taco-hemingway-poland-rap.html
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  36. https://soundcloud.com/user-911705427/austriacka-potrawa-narodowa
  37. https://www.whosampled.com/Taco-Hemingway/Cichosza/
  38. https://www.whosampled.com/sample/762247/Taco-Hemingway-Polskie-Tango-%25C5%2581ona-Webber-Patrz-Szerzej/
  39. https://www.whosampled.com/sample/762750/Taco-Hemingway-Polskie-Tango-Dzie%25C5%2584-%25C5%259Bwira-%28Day-of-the-Wacko%29-Ada%25C5%259B-Wyg%25C5%2582asza-Monolog/
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  43. https://cgm.pl/news/jedna-z-plyt-taco-hemingwaya-wlasnie-uzyskala-status-potrojnej-platyny/
  44. https://kultura.onet.pl/muzyka/wiadomosci/taco-hemingway-z-platynowa-plyta-drugi-raz-z-rzedu/mw3g5bv
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  48. https://culture.pl/pl/tworca/taco-hemingway
  49. https://wiez.pl/2023/10/08/sluchanie-zycia-nowa-plyta-taco-hemingwaya-to-arcydzielo/
  50. https://sajko.network/najmniej-ciekawy-jarmark-recenzja-najnowszej-plyty-taco-hemingwaya/
  51. https://www.glamour.pl/news/taco-hemingway-udzielil-wywiadu-the-new-york-times-i-skomentowal-sytuacje-polityczna-w-polsce-201031092250/
  52. https://www.onet.pl/muzyka/onetmuzyka/taco-hemingway-wywiad-raper-mowi-o-polityce-w-polsce/xq0qs0s%2C681c1dfa
  53. https://newsroom.spotify.com/2021-10-22/what-is-rap-in-poland-artist-young-leosia-and-her-fellow-rappers-are-ready-with-an-answer/
  54. https://clok.uclan.ac.uk/id/eprint/46171/
  55. https://www.pudelek.pl/iga-lis-i-taco-hemingway-wykpiwaja-pogloski-o-rozstaniu-wyznajac-sobie-milosc-na-instagramie-foto-6655135690439200a
  56. https://vimeo.com/855211870
  57. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/user/aliceunderstars/album/260484-polskie-tango/
  58. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/taco-hemingways-jarmark-9798765103067/
  59. https://songstats.com/artist/me7cgvfb/taco-hemingway
  60. https://iaspmjournal.net/index.php/IASPM_Journal/article/download/1443/2027/10583
  61. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387631167_Taco_Hemingway%27s_Jarmark
  62. https://instytutpolski.pl/london/2024/12/05/jarmark-by-kamila-rymajdo/
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  64. https://goout.net/en/taco-hemingway/pzwegtf/
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  99. https://vibez.pl/myimpact/stworzyl-spektakl-trojkat-warszawski-albumy-taco-sa-niczym-poezja-pisana-proza-wywiad-7191406198655584a
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