Ivan Shabashov has always channelled his maverick mindset through art. Inspired by Aughts stars like Akon, he grew up refining his flow and honing an avant-garde, sartorial style. Between jumping on tracks with local crew Fiji Gang in his hometown Bryansk and making his concert debut in Moscow, the rapper has pursued music with a single-minded mix of artistic curiosity and creative confidence. And with his alchemy of distorted beats and hypnotic trap rhythms, LOVV66 earned a spot in Russia’s new-school scene by perfecting a distinct brand of hip-hop.