«25/17» (prior to 2009 «Ezekiel 25:17») is a Russian rap-rock group founded in the city of Omsk by musicians Andrey Pozdnukhov («Bledny») and Anton Zavyalov («Ant»).
Listening to this artist's tracks on official streaming platforms, social media, and other services indirectly contributes to financing the war — through taxes paid to the budget of the Russian Federation.
In October 2009, the hip-hop culture magazine «Slovo» subjected the collective «25/17» to severe criticism for what they deemed religious fanaticism and a nationalistic and fascist leaning in their lyrics.
On October 30, 2012, the song «Bud belym» (Be White) was included in the federal register of extremist materials by decision of the Ezhva District Court of Syktyvkar.
Since 2014, Andrey Pozdnukhov did not perform in Donbas, but provided humanitarian assistance:
We transferred money for humanitarian aid to Donbas through people we trusted. When we organized one of the fundraisers for the children of Donbas, our group was almost banned on VK.
When asked about colleagues who ignored the conflict in Donbas, Bledny replied:
Either they didn't know about it, or these pacifists don't give a damn about those who were dying there. Then one needs to be consistent in one's principles and say: «I feel sorry for these children, but I don't feel sorry for those». Only that is no longer pacifism.
In May 2018, Andrey Pozdnukhov and Anton Zavyalov were entered into the «Myrotvorets» database for illegal concert activities on the territory of annexed Crimea.
Bledny and the Band «25/17»’s Position on the War in Ukraine
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the members of the band «25/17» made no public statements and published no posts regarding the war. The band continued concert activities adhering to an "out of politics" stance:
A. Bledny: «We were invited to perform at certain events, but for many years our rider has even contained a clause specifying that if the stage is branded with any propaganda slogans or images, we will not perform on that stage. In a hospital, perhaps we would perform. Then again, in Samara after a concert, a priest approached us and suggested performing in a hospital.
The band was accused of attempting to "sit between two chairs", to which Bledny responded:
Both adherents of North Atlantic values and turbo-patriots expect propaganda leaflets from us; they expect us to lead people behind us. Our songs get entered into the Russian federal register of extremist materials, while in my private messages I receive [threats].... It's hard not to succumb to emotions and not start hating everyone around you. It is hard on everyone.
In July 2022, the musicians of «25/17» took part in recording Garik Sukachyov's "anti-emigrant" music video «Ya ostayus» (I Am Staying) alongside artists such as Sergey Shnurov ("Leningrad"), Vladimir Shakhrin ("Chaif"), Aleksandr F. Sklyar ("Va-Bankъ"), Oleg Garkusha ("Auktsyon"), Sergey Galanin ("SerGa"), Sergey 'Chizh' Chigrakov ("Chizh & Co"), Evgeny Margulis ("Voskresenie", "Mashina Vremeni"), Andrey Knyazev ("Knyazz", "Korol i Shut"), Aya ("Gorod 312"), Svetlana Surganova, Vladimir and Sergey Kristovsky ("Uma2rmaH"), Maksim Kucherenko ("Undervud"), and others.
On November 30, 2023, during Bledny's interview on the Matametrica YouTube channel:
I do not like war. I do not like it, but it has already happened, it is already underway, and all this cannot be rewound backwards. And discussing how it should have been done, what would have been better, and what would have been more correct is already pointless. In my opinion, if we do not win, then most likely our state, at least in the form it exists now, will come to an end. How can one regard this? How can one regard the fact that winter is coming? Can you change anything? No, I cannot. Well, had they warned us that winter was coming, we probably would have at least prepared. And despite everything I stated above: Glory to Russia, my friends, glory to Russia!
People who support Russia in its war of conquest by word, deed, or finances are proponents of war!
The band continues actively touring across cities of the Russian Federation.
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