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Khabib (full name — Khabib-Rakhman Sabirovich Sharipov; born June 1, 1990, Kazan, Tatar ASSR, USSR) is a Russian singer, songwriter and video blogger. He rose to widespread fame following the release of «Ягода малинка», which became one of the biggest Russian-language pop hits of 2020–2021.
Before pursuing music professionally, Sharipov spent several years working in the police as a forensic specialist. At the same time, he recorded covers of popular songs and shared them on social media. In 2018, Khabib left the police, moved from Kazan to Moscow and took part in the TNT music show «ПЕСНИ».
His repertoire is built primarily around pop music, with elements of dance-pop, acoustic pop and contemporary digital-era pop production. In addition to «Ягода малинка», he is known for songs including «Грустинка», «Открытка», «На 4 этаже», «Разрывная», «Дискотанцы», «Ой, мороз», «Аптечка», «Мёд», «Шаганэ» and other releases.
Childhood and youth in Kazan
Khabib-Rakhman Sharipov was born on June 1, 1990, in Kazan. His father worked in law enforcement and held the rank of police major. The family raised two sons and maintained traditional Tatar family values.
As a teenager, Khabib was passionate about basketball and played for a team in Kazan. His interest in music developed alongside sports: he taught himself to play guitar, wrote his first songs and performed them for friends.
In one interview, the musician recalled trying to build his first guitar himself using materials he had at hand. He later bought a proper instrument and began learning to play without any formal musical education.
Education and work in the police
After finishing school, Sharipov chose a career in law enforcement. He received higher education in forensic science and subsequently joined the police.
Khabib worked for approximately five years as a forensic specialist. His duties included attending crime scenes and conducting forensic examinations. He completed his service with the rank of police captain.
The artist later recalled that the job demanded intense concentration and responsibility and regularly involved difficult incidents. He described the experience as an important lesson in discipline, although he did not intend to spend his entire professional career in law enforcement.
Covers and social media
Sharipov continued making music while serving in the police. In his spare time, he recorded acoustic guitar covers of well-known songs and uploaded the videos to the internet.
Among the artists whose songs he performed were several prominent figures in Russian popular music. One cover proved particularly important to his future career: his version of Olga Buzova's «Она не боится».
In 2018, Buzova held a cover competition for the song and noticed Khabib's recording, sharing it with her own audience. The exposure helped the singer significantly increase his following and became one of the first major milestones of his online career.
Leaving the police and moving to Moscow
In 2018, Sharipov decided to completely change the direction of his professional life. He resigned from the police and moved from Kazan to Moscow with the intention of pursuing music.
His parents were initially cautious about the decision. His father, who had himself spent many years in law enforcement, had expected his son to continue along a stable professional career path.
Khabib later said that he did not immediately tell his family that he had resigned and only revealed his plans after buying a ticket to Moscow.
«ПЕСНИ» on TNT
After arriving in Moscow, Khabib auditioned for the TNT music project «ПЕСНИ».
At the audition, he performed the song «Шантай». Sharipov wrote the lyrics himself, while the music was composed by Maksim Fadeev.
Khabib advanced through part of the competition but did not win the project. His appearance on the television show introduced him to a new audience and reinforced his decision to leave his former profession behind in favor of music.
«Шантай» was later released as a standalone digital single.
First independent songs
Following «ПЕСНИ», Khabib continued working independently, combining new music releases with the development of his social media presence.
His early material included songs such as «Дикая», «Яратмыйсын», «Ближе», «Девчонка со двора» and other tracks.
TikTok became particularly important to his career. Khabib regularly posted short musical videos, covers, humorous clips and previews of new songs. By the early 2020s, his following had grown into the millions.
This online audience allowed him to develop his career without relying on the traditional long-term promotional path through television and radio.
«Ягода малинка»
His major breakthrough came in late 2020.
On November 17, 2020, Khabib released the single «Ягода малинка». The songwriting credits list Khabib-Rakhman Sharipov, Alexander Fomenkov and Evgeny Trukhin. Fomenkov and Trukhin later became widely known as the duo Galibri & Mavik.
The song was built around a short, instantly memorable chorus, a dance-oriented pop beat and deliberately simple lyrics. The format was particularly well suited to short-form video, and excerpts from the track began spreading rapidly across social media.
An official music video followed in December. By the end of January 2021, it had surpassed 33 million views on YouTube, while its audience later grew into the hundreds of millions.
«Ягода малинка» topped Russian music charts and became Khabib's signature song.
«Грустинка»
In early 2021, Khabib released «Грустинка».
Its title directly continued one of the most memorable images from «Ягода малинка», although the new song featured an original melody and a more romantic tone.
«Грустинка» became one of Khabib's most successful follow-up singles and helped maintain his presence in the pop charts after his first major hit.
«Открытка» with Vanya Dmitrienko
On May 5, 2021, Khabib released the collaborative track «Открытка» with Vanya Dmitrienko.
The song brought together two rising performers whose popularity at the time was being shaped to a significant degree by streaming platforms and social media.
«Открытка» received an official music video and became one of Khabib's most-streamed releases on digital platforms.
DJ SMASH and a new version of «Ягода малинка»
In the summer of 2021, Khabib collaborated with DJ SMASH.
On June 25, the club-oriented version «Ягода Малинка (DJ SMASH vs. Хабиб)» was released. The familiar pop song was reworked with a more pronounced electronic dance arrangement.
The collaboration expanded Khabib's music beyond the confines of TikTok-oriented pop and brought his material closer to club-focused dance music.
«Новая волна»
In 2021, Khabib performed at the international music competition «Новая волна» in Sochi.
By that point, «Ягода малинка» had already made him one of the year's most recognizable new pop performers, while his concert repertoire included «Грустинка», «Разрывная», «На 4 этаже» and other songs.
«Дискотанцы» with Galibri & Mavik
On November 17, 2021, exactly one year after the release of «Ягода малинка», Khabib and Galibri & Mavik released the collaborative single «Дискотанцы».
The track was built around a danceable retro-pop aesthetic and continued the musicians' collaboration following the success of «Ягода малинка».
«Дискотанцы» received its own music video and became one of Khabib's notable songs from this period.
«Тучи Круче» with Ivanushki International
On June 17, 2022, Khabib and Ivanushki International released the single «Тучи Круче».
The title and musical concept referenced «Тучи», one of the best-known songs from Ivanushki International's early repertoire, although the new track was an independent composition in its own right.
The music was written by Igor Matvienko, while the credited lyricists include Artyom Lapenkov and Alexander Shaganov.
For Khabib, the release represented a notable collaboration with artists from an earlier generation of the Russian pop scene.
Awards in 2021–2022
The success of «Ягода малинка» brought Khabib his first major music awards.
- RU.TV 2021 — Best Start award for «Ягода малинка»;
- MUZ-TV 2022 — Breakthrough of the Year;
- RU.TV 2022 — Music Blogger award.
These awards confirmed Khabib's transition from a popular creator of online covers to an established artist on the mainstream pop scene.
Songs released in 2022–2023
Following the particularly intense 2020–2021 period, Khabib continued to focus on a steady stream of standalone singles.
Notable songs from this stage of his career include «Ой, мороз», «Космос пополам», «Как первый снег», «Без тебя», «Ой какая ты» and «Аптечка».
«Аптечка», released in 2023, received an official music video and continued the light, romantic pop direction characteristic of Khabib's work.
«Мёд» with Artur Pirozhkov
On May 17, 2024, Khabib and Artur Pirozhkov released the collaborative song «Мёд».
The track was conceived as a bright, dance-oriented pop single and was accompanied by a dedicated music video.
«Мёд» was later also included on Artur Pirozhkov's album «Это игра».
Other releases from 2024
Khabib's catalog continued to expand with standalone singles throughout 2024. These included «Девочка гуляет», «Джими Джими» with Sayli Ke and «Мотыльки».
His release strategy remained largely unchanged: rather than relying on lengthy album cycles, he regularly issued concise pop tracks designed for streaming platforms, social media and his live repertoire.
«Шаганэ» and releases from 2025
In 2025, Khabib released several new songs, including «Парабеллум», «Повезёт», «Шаганэ» and «Танцули».
«Шаганэ» became particularly notable, with its title referring to one of the best-known images associated with the poetry of Sergei Yesenin.
The song became one of the artist's most popular recent releases in his current Apple Music catalog.
Khabib in 2026
Khabib remained active in the studio throughout 2026.
The single «Красота твоя» arrived in February, followed later by «Если хочешь» and «Моя малышка».
On August 7, 2026, he released «Море пока лето», created with producer Fargo. At the time of publication, it is the newest single in Khabib's official catalog.
His career therefore did not remain tied solely to the peak popularity of «Ягода малинка» in the early 2020s: Khabib continued to release new music on a regular basis.
Why Khabib does not have a traditional album discography
Unlike many pop performers, Khabib has built the core of his discography around singles.
His current digital catalog does not contain a sequence of full-length studio albums comparable to a traditional album-oriented career. Most of his major songs are released individually, with some later receiving remixes or collaborative versions.
This approach reflects a model that became increasingly common in the era of TikTok and streaming services: new material is released regularly, while the individual song becomes the primary unit of an artist's catalog.
Musical style
Khabib's primary genre is contemporary pop music.
His songs incorporate elements of:
- dance-pop;
- contemporary mainstream pop;
- acoustic pop;
- electronic dance music;
- light retro styling;
- folk and traditional pop melodic influences.
Most of his best-known songs are structured around a short vocal hook, a straightforward verse-chorus form and rhythms suited to dance-oriented video content.
The material from the «Ягода малинка» period is particularly characterized by deliberately simple conversational phrases, repetition and onomatopoeic elements. This approach allows a song to become memorable after a single chorus.
Khabib and TikTok
Social media has played a role in Khabib's career comparable to that traditionally occupied by television.
Even before his breakthrough hit, Khabib had already built an audience through covers and short-form videos. After the release of «Ягода малинка», TikTok became one of the main channels through which the song spread.
At the same time, describing Khabib solely as a “TikTok artist” would be inaccurate. His online career began well before TikTok became widely adopted in Russia, with YouTube, cover recordings and social media posts. His appearance on the show «ПЕСНИ» also preceded his major viral breakthrough.
Public image and audience
Khabib's public image differs noticeably from that of many rap and pop artists of his generation. He rarely relies on controversy or provocation as a promotional strategy, while a significant part of his repertoire is aimed at a broad family and younger audience.
His songs predominantly focus on romance, relationships, falling in love, summer themes and celebratory settings. The same aesthetic is reflected in his concert programs and music videos.
Personal life
Khabib rarely makes his romantic relationships part of his public career, preferring to discuss music, family and his professional journey in interviews.
His father occupies a particularly important place in the stories he tells about his life. His father's example influenced Khabib's initial choice of profession and his decision to enter the police, although the family did not immediately accept his move into show business.
The singer has repeatedly emphasized the importance of close family relationships and Tatar family traditions.
Major collaborations
- «Открытка» — with Vanya Dmitrienko, 2021;
- «Ягода Малинка (DJ SMASH vs. Хабиб)» — with DJ SMASH, 2021;
- «Дискотанцы» — with Galibri & Mavik, 2021;
- «Жёлтое такси» — with Radjo, 2021;
- «Тучи Круче» — with Ivanushki International, 2022;
- «Джими Джими» — with Sayli Ke, 2024;
- «Мёд» — with Artur Pirozhkov, 2024.
From forensic specialist to the pop stage
Khabib's biography differs markedly from the typical story of an artist who began a professional music career in their teens. Before breaking into the mainstream, he completed higher education, spent five years working as a forensic specialist and rose to the rank of police captain.
His transition into music was gradual: home recordings and covers helped him build a social media audience, Olga Buzova's competition brought his first significant public exposure, and «ПЕСНИ» on TNT gave him experience on a major television project.
The commercial breakthrough came only after that journey. «Ягода малинка» was released in late 2020 and within a matter of months transformed Khabib into a mainstream pop performer. Follow-up singles including «Грустинка», «Открытка», «Дискотанцы» and others helped ensure that his career would not be defined by a single viral track.
By the mid-2020s, Khabib had maintained the working model of a digital-era artist: instead of releasing major albums at long intervals, he regularly issues standalone songs, collaborates with performers from different generations and combines streaming platforms and social media with television appearances and live performances.
