KRBK - Biography and discography, all albums and songs | Pages: 2

KRBK, also known as Pasha Korobok, is a Ukrainian rapper and songwriter from Kyiv. The musician’s real name is Pavel Alexandrovich Kulish. He began his career in the local hip-hop underground, performed as a member of the group “Апаска” alongside 4atty Aka Tilla and Sимптом, and later developed his own catalogue built around classic rap, street lyricism, masculine introspection and images of the big city.

A distinctive feature of KRBK’s biography is that his music developed for many years in parallel with a serious athletic career. Before gaining wider recognition as a rapper, Pavel Kulish competed in mixed martial arts and free-fight, became a Ukrainian champion, participated in international tournaments and later worked as a coach. This experience is also reflected in his artistic identity: KRBK’s songs often revolve around discipline, resilience, brotherhood, personal responsibility and the ability to preserve one’s dignity in difficult circumstances.

Real name and the origin of the stage name

In the music community, the artist is known as KRBK, КРБК and Pasha Korobok. The songwriting credits of his contemporary releases confirm his real name, Pavel Kulish. Kulish is listed among the writers of “Не ворог,” “Сальвадор” and other works by the artist.

The spelling KRBK appears to be an abbreviated form of the nickname “Korobok,” written without vowels. The name was used not only in music: it was also associated with the sports project KRBK Team, which operated in Kyiv as a mixed martial arts team and club.

Childhood and interest in martial arts

Little is publicly known about Pavel Kulish’s early childhood and family. The athletic period of his biography is documented in considerably greater detail.

According to Kulish himself, his martial arts training began in a small gym set up in the basement of a residential building. It had almost no proper equipment, and the main training apparatus was a punching bag given to him by a friend. The bag later remained a kind of personal talisman for the athlete and took a central place in a larger training facility.

Kulish trained in free-fight and mixed martial arts. His sporting biography credits him with four Ukrainian championship titles, two European junior championships in 2011 and the title of International Master of Sport. Specialist databases record his participation in professional bouts between 2009 and 2013, with four victories and two defeats. Among Kulish’s opponents was future UFC title challenger Amir Albazi.

Pavel later gradually moved from competition into coaching. He explained the transition as a desire to view martial arts from another perspective and to pass his experience on to students. In training, Kulish focused not only on physical preparation but also on the athletes’ psychological condition, responsibility and ability to remain calm before competitions.

Public Ukrainian registers connect Pavel Alexandrovich Kulish with the mixed martial arts club KRBK Team, registered in Kyiv. He is listed as the organisation’s director and founder.

KRBK Team and the connection between sport and Kyiv’s rap scene

KRBK Team became a meeting point between the artist’s sporting and musical biographies. Through the team, Pavel met and became close with several future participants in notable Ukrainian rap projects.

4atty Aka Tilla recalled meeting Pasha Korobok through a mutual acquaintance and joining KRBK Team when only a few people trained there. The team later expanded considerably. Training together strengthened the musicians’ friendship and became one of the preconditions for the creation of the group “Апаска.”

Sport in KRBK’s circle served more than a practical purpose. It helped form the ethics of the local community: discipline, loyalty to close friends, respect for actions and readiness to accept responsibility for one’s decisions. These principles later became recurring themes in Korobok’s songs.

The group “Апаска”

One of KRBK’s first significant musical projects was the Kyiv group “Апаска.” Alongside Pasha Korobok, its members included 4atty Aka Tilla and Sимптом, musicians who later gained wide recognition through the group “Грибы” and other projects.

“Апаска” represented the Kyiv underground and combined lyrical street rap with harsh observations of everyday life and an unpolished performance style. Rap.ua later described the collective as one of the most authentic local groups: deep lyricism, courtyard directness and sharp punchlines coexisted in its songs.

For KRBK, participation in the group became an important lesson in collective work. His early style developed alongside performers for whom rap was not an industrial product but an extension of friendship, the neighbourhood and everyday life.

After “Апаска” ceased operating, the musicians continued to collaborate. Over the years, KRBK released songs with Sимптом and 4atty, while in 2020 the former members reunited on the track “Меньше слов.”

The beginning of his solo career

Official streaming catalogues trace KRBK’s solo discography back to at least 2012. One of the earliest available works is the song “Парусник.” It already displayed characteristics that later became the foundation of his style: calm narrative delivery, a melancholic atmosphere and attention to the protagonist’s inner state.

In 2014, KRBK released “Эверест” featuring Sимптом. The song became one of his most recognisable early collaborations and remained popular many years later, continuing to rank among his most-streamed works.

The next important phase came in 2015–2016. During this period, he released:

• “Сам”;
• “Девушка в чёрном”;
• “Цветочек”;
• “Крепче.”

These songs formed the core of the artist’s early popularity. “Девушка в чёрном” and “Крепче” became his biggest digital hits, while their official videos and audio recordings attracted audiences numbering in the millions. On Shazam, “Девушка в чёрном” remains KRBK’s most recognised song of all time.

In 2015, the video for “Сам” entered Rap.ua’s ranking of the year’s most-viewed Ukrainian rap videos. At the time, Korobok was primarily regarded as a discovery from the underground scene, distributing his music through social media and video-hosting platforms rather than traditional media.

“Девушка в чёрном” and the romantic dimension

Although KRBK is often classified as a street or “men’s” rapper, a significant part of his catalogue is devoted to relationships, loneliness and emotional dependence.

“Девушка в чёрном” became one of the defining songs of this direction. It does not contain a complex narrative structure: the composition works through the image of its heroine, the feeling of distance and the contrast between outward restraint and inner attachment. A similar intonation later appeared in “Цветочек,” “Художник,” “Пальма” and other works.

KRBK’s romantic lyrics differ from the traditional pop ballad. His protagonist rarely speaks about feelings openly or in elevated language. Love is usually shown through urban details, memory, silence, incompatible personalities or the inability to preserve intimacy.

“Крепче” and the formation of a recognisable style

The song “Крепче,” released in 2016, became another key KRBK work. Its popularity can be explained by the combination of several defining qualities: a concise chorus, calm rap delivery, personal lyrics and an accessible message about inner resilience.

Two main directions can already be identified in Korobok’s early catalogue. The first is street-oriented, based on stories about the neighbourhood, friends, choices and the consequences of actions. The second is confessional, in which the outward image of a strong protagonist collides with loneliness, doubt and the need for support.

It was precisely this combination that allowed KRBK to move beyond a narrow underground audience without shifting towards openly commercial pop-rap.

A new phase: 2018–2021

In 2018, KRBK released “Мазафака,” which brought a sharper and more energetic delivery back into his music. It became one of his best-known compositions and established itself among the most-streamed tracks in his catalogue.

In 2019, the artist significantly increased his creative activity. Important works from this period included “Вечерний блюз” and “Художник.” Rap.ua described “Художник” as classic rap about love and highlighted the Kyiv performer’s high level of productivity.

In 2020, KRBK released “Пальма” as well as the collaboration “Меньше слов” with 4atty. In 2021, he released “Скромен,” recorded with the project “Криминальный бит.” The composition became a kind of artistic manifesto: its protagonist does not seek to prove his importance through loud statements, preferring to speak through actions and results.

The track “Новый” emerged from the same circle of collaborators, bringing together KRBK, 4atty Aka Tilla and dim.slavyanin. In 2025, the musicians released an updated remix version.

Changes in his work after February 24, 2022

Russia’s full-scale invasion became an important dividing line in KRBK’s work. While his early catalogue was predominantly Russian-language and focused on personal stories, after 2022 his songs increasingly featured the Ukrainian language, a stronger civic position and the theme of national identity.

One of the major works of this period was the composition “24.” It divides life into the time before and after February 24 and contrasts those who stood up to defend the country with people who tried to move money abroad and leave Ukraine at the moment of danger.

Rap.ua noted that the song entered Ukrainian charts and became an example of how an independent underground artist could attract a large audience without a major label or a large-scale team.

In 2022, KRBK also released the single “Стоник,” whose title refers to Stone Island jackets, an enduring symbol of masculine street culture. For KRBK, however, such objects usually function not as displays of luxury but as elements of the everyday environment inhabited by his lyrical protagonist.

“Державний” and the transition to Ukrainian

In April 2023, KRBK released “Державний” featuring $cream. The title refers to the concept of the state language, while the lyrics are built around the artist’s transition to Ukrainian-language rap and the new circumstances faced by the country.

This transition did not mean a complete rejection of his earlier catalogue or musical identity. KRBK retained his measured delivery, classic hip-hop beats and urban realism, but shifted the linguistic and conceptual centre of his work.

In 2023, he also released “Передвигался не спеша,” “Нож” and other compositions that continued to combine street observation with personal reflection.

“КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ”

On August 1, 2024, KRBK and his long-time associate dim.slavyanin released the collaborative EP “КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ.”

The EP included four tracks:

1. “Квадрати”;
2. “Сальвадор”;
3. “Самотній самурай”;
4. “Бомбардувальник.”

The authors presented the release as a reflection of contemporary Ukraine, where personal experiences are intertwined with social struggle. The songs feature images of solitary warriors, wartime reality, Kyiv streets, life’s trials and hope for the future.

“КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ” is important within the artist’s discography as one of his first complete conceptual projects. Previously, KRBK had primarily released individual songs, whereas here the four tracks are united by a shared location, language and mood.

Kyiv is portrayed in the project not as a tourist symbol but as a living urban environment: cramped, anxious, shaped by war and at the same time deeply familiar. In “Бомбардувальник,” neighbourhood identity is combined with images of the front and personal choice, while “Сальвадор” addresses gratitude, conscience and responsibility towards people on the front line.

Releases of 2025

In 2025, KRBK continued to release music actively. Notable works from this period included:

• “Не ворог”;
• “Katana” with iT’e;
• “Міжгалактична станція”;
• “Новый (Remix)” with 4atty Aka Tilla and dim.slavyanin;
• the “Записка” series of tracks.

In “Не ворог,” the artist reflects on growing older and changes in his own identity. The lyrics include a line stating that the protagonist has long ceased to be “Pashok” and has spent his entire life searching for a way to understand himself. This makes the song important within KRBK’s later period: instead of the familiar image of a confident street narrator, it reveals an attempt to reassess the path already travelled.

The “Записка” series continued the diary-like dimension of his work. Each short composition feels like a separate observation, emotional fragment or message to the listener. This format corresponds well with KRBK’s strengths: concise form, conversational intonation and the ability to express a personal thought without an elaborate conceptual framework.

“ЗАПИСКИ КОРОБКА. ГЛАВА 1”

On January 20, 2026, KRBK collected the first instalments of the series in the release “ЗАПИСКИ КОРОБКА. ГЛАВА 1.” It contains ten tracks with a total running time of approximately twenty minutes.

The project may be regarded as the musician’s first major solo work to appear in his official digital catalogue in the form of an album or compilation. Unlike a traditional record built around long narrative tracks, “Записки Коробка” is structured as a sequence of short monologues.

This structure emphasises the documentary quality of KRBK’s music. He does not create a separate fictional character but addresses the listener directly, like a person writing down thoughts as they arise.

In April 2026, the artist released the collaborative single “Вагон” with iT’e and Dymny, while “Записка 11” followed on May 13. As of August 2026, “Записка 11” is KRBK’s latest official release on the largest audio-streaming platforms.

Musical style

The foundation of KRBK’s work remains classic hip-hop with a noticeable influence from boom bap and street rap. Unlike many representatives of the new school, he rarely builds his music around complex vocal effects, high-speed delivery or conspicuous technical experimentation.

His songs are characterised by:

• measured rap delivery;
• dense but uncluttered beats;
• conversational vocabulary;
• short and memorable choruses;
• everyday urban details;
• a combination of toughness and melancholy;
• direct address to the listener.

Korobok often raps as though he were engaged in a private conversation. His delivery does not require heightened emotionality: tension is created through pauses, vocal tone and a sense of internal control.

Much of KRBK’s music follows the aesthetics of independent street rap, where authenticity of intonation matters more than elaborate studio processing. Even in romantic songs, he remains restrained and avoids excessively theatrical vocals.

Main themes of his songs

The city and the neighbourhood

Kyiv is not merely a backdrop in KRBK’s work but a complete environment in which the protagonist is formed. Entrances to apartment blocks, courtyards, cars, flats, training sessions and meetings with friends create the feeling of a specific life rather than an abstract “street” image.

Brotherhood and loyalty

The idea of a small circle of people tested by time is important to the artist. This is connected both with the musical environment of “Апаска” and with his martial arts experience and KRBK Team.

Loneliness

Even when the protagonist is surrounded by friends, he often experiences inner isolation. This theme is especially noticeable in lyrical works and songs about separation.

Self-discipline

The artist’s sporting past appears in his attitude towards defeat and difficulty. Strength in KRBK’s songs rarely means physical superiority; more often, it refers to the ability to keep moving and not lose control of oneself.

War and civic choice

After 2022, themes of Ukraine, the state language, the front, emigration, personal responsibility and attitudes towards events in the country became more prominent in his music.

Growing older

Later compositions are increasingly devoted to reassessing the past. KRBK examines his own youth, mistakes, habits and the role that a person chooses in life.

Major collaborations

Over the course of his career, KRBK has worked with performers and producers from different generations of the Ukrainian underground scene.

His most significant collaborations include:

• Sимптом — “Эверест” and the period of the group “Апаска”;
• 4atty Aka Tilla — “Апаска,” “Меньше слов,” “Новый” and its remix;
• dim.slavyanin — “Новый” and the EP “КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ”;
• Криминальный бит — “Скромен”;
• $cream — “Державний”;
• iT’e — “Katana” and “Вагон”;
• Dymny — “Вагон.”

These collaborations show that KRBK maintains his connection with his early Kyiv circle while also working with new writers and gradually expanding the linguistic and musical boundaries of his catalogue.

Selected KRBK discography

The artist’s discography consists primarily of singles. Dates are based on official digital platforms.

Early and best-known singles

• “Парусник” — 2012;
• “Эверест” featuring Sимптом — 2014;
• “Сам” — 2015;
• “Девушка в чёрном” — 2015;
• “Цветочек” — 2015;
• “Крепче” — 2016;
• “Мазафака” — 2018;
• “Художник” — 2019;
• “Вечерний блюз” — 2019;
• “Пальма” — 2020;
• “Скромен” — 2021;
• “24” — 2022;
• “Стоник” — 2022;
• “Державний” featuring $cream — 2023;
• “Передвигался не спеша” — 2023;
• “Нож” — 2023;
• “Перекрёсток” — 2024.

EPs and major projects

• “КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ” — with dim.slavyanin, 2024;
• “ЗАПИСКИ КОРОБКА. ГЛАВА 1” — 2026.

KRBK’s place in Ukrainian hip-hop

KRBK occupies a distinctive position in Ukrainian rap. He is not one of those artists whose career was built around a single large-scale media breakthrough. His audience developed gradually through individual songs, local communities, social media, collaborative work and a long-standing presence in the underground.

The musician’s early history is connected with the generation from which “Грибы,” Grebz and other important Kyiv-scene projects later emerged. KRBK himself, however, maintained an independent trajectory and did not become part of the mainstream pop industry.

His contribution lies primarily in preserving the tradition of honest urban rap. Korobok does not abandon classic form for the sake of a current trend and does not attempt to reshape himself completely according to the new school. At the same time, he has adapted to a changed Ukraine: he moved towards Ukrainian-language material, incorporated the experience of war into his songs and developed a new civic perspective.

Conclusion

KRBK’s biography connects two worlds: martial arts and music. His experience as an athlete and coach shaped his understanding of discipline, responsibility and inner strength, while Kyiv’s rap underground gave him the language through which these ideas could be transformed into songs.

From “Парусник,” “Эверест,” “Девушка в чёрном” and “Крепче” to “24,” “Державний,” “КИЇВСЬКІ КВАДРАТИ” and “Записки Коробка,” the artist has moved from local Russian-language rap towards a more mature and nationally oriented body of work.

KRBK remains an artist for whom authenticity matters more than external polish. His music does not so much create a stage myth as document lived experience: friendship, defeat, growing older, the city, war and the attempt to preserve oneself in a changing world.