First known as Basta when he sharpened his rap skills as a teen, Vasiliy Vakulenko adopted the alias Noggano—a reference to the Nagant revolver—in 2008. His brash and insouciant personality fuels hardcore street rap that fearlessly challenges institutionalised oppression, poverty and violence. He juxtaposes melodic songs of protest with jarring trap beats reminiscent of gunfire and drawling vocals backed by reggae rhythms, all marked by his sense of bringing truth to light.