To the uninitiated, Dubioza Kolektiv are a band from Bosnia known for their fresh take on hip-hop, reggae, dub, rock and Bosnian folklore. However, outside “The West”, the group has already established itself as among the best and most popular live outfits in Eastern Europe, and notorious leaders in the fight for social change. They are also nominees for IMPALA’s “Best Independent Album of 2011.” Their musical skills forged in basement shelters during the siege of Sarajevo, these guys know  more than anyone how to use music as a weapon against the forces of negativity.

DK is well known in Bosnia for practicing what they preach, lending support to Bosnia’s first grass-roots civil society group  “Dosta” by organizing a huge protest concert before2006 general elections. Their album release party for their fourth album“Firma Ilegal” took place in front of the Bosnian Parliament, in a powerful statement against government corruption, and garnered massive coverage in the national press. Finally, in 2010 the band spearheaded a national voting drive with concerts in all of the major Bosnian cities, aimed to increase the turnout of younger population in 2010 elections. Time Magazine and the BBC have both recognized the group as a legitimate voice of Bosnia.
“Wild Wild East”, is the fifth and latest release in their 8 years of existence. Tireless activists, their subjects revolve around subjects of peace and tolerance alongside an extreme criticism of nationalism and cultural stereotypes.

The music is relentless and habit forming, tailor made for massive sound systems. If you’re looking for macho, money-and-ego driven posturing, you won’t find it here; no MTV “rude boy” gangstas, no strippers or bling, no corporate endorsements from the international fashion industry. Rather, they take on traditional musical forms with their unique perspective, shaped by a war that changed their lives forever, and delivered with a level of positivity that hits you like a blast of fresh air. If you are open to the experience, it could change your life too.