«Otpetye Moshenniki» are one of the most recognizable and charismatic groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, whose music and image became part of an entire era of Russian dance floors. They themselves describe their style as «cultural chaos» and «gop-stop jazz» — a mix of rap, street-style folk chants, dance elements and a strikingly mischievous aesthetic. This unique formula combines humor, irony and a touch of theatricality, which quickly turned the «Moshenniki» into audience favorites.
Early years: how it all began
Although the official birth date of the group is considered to be December 1996 — their performance at the «Dancing City» festival in Cherepovets — the story of the band members started much earlier.
The Bogomazov & Surovenko duo
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Igor Bogomazov and Sergey Surovenko had been friends since childhood.
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Already as teens, they performed at house parties, earning pocket money with their little “club mini-shows” for friends.
Orlov and Zinnurov — the other half of the future band
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Evgeny Orlov and Slava Zinnurov met in a summer camp near Leningrad.
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Slava studied at a music school, where he learned to play the trumpet.
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Orlov tried his hand as a producer and launched his own project called «Neon Boy».
Musical and stage experience
By the time they came together, all four had already:
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performed live,
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been involved in music,
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tried themselves in dance,
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worked as DJs,
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taken part in various creative collectives.
This accumulated «field» experience later made the band’s style so confident and cohesive.
Forming the band and the debut album
A mutual acquaintance brought them together, and that meeting became the starting point of the project.
Orlov took on the concept, while the others focused on the music.
In early 1997 the group released their debut album, which was immediately noticed by Moscow producers.
The name «Otpetye Moshenniki» («Notorious Swindlers») appeared by chance, but turned out to be perfect — both in mood and for their future image.
The «hooligan» style and first hits
The band built the image of streetwise romantic hooligans: bright, cheeky, dancing, sharp-tongued yet charming.
Their early hits brought them instant popularity:
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«Бросай курить»
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«Я учусь танцевать»
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«Всяко-разно» — earned them the «Golden Gramophone» award (1998)
Their shows were packed with tricks and choreography, so the band often sang to a backing track — otherwise it would have been almost impossible to combine acrobatics and live vocals.
1999 — a turning point and «lyrical» side
Despite their tough hooligan image, in 1999 they released the song «Люби меня, люби», which completely turned their career around.
The track unexpectedly became a nationwide hit and stayed at the top of the charts for a long time, revealing a different, softer and more melodic side of the band.
Foreign tours and music videos
From the late 1990s the band started touring actively:
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1999 — the Black Sea coast, filming the video for «Му-му»
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Spain — the video for «Если надоело»
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France (2000) — the video for «Девушки»
At the turn of the millennium, «Otpetye Moshenniki» became regular guests on TV shows, festivals and award ceremonies. Their appearance on the TV show «Muzykalny Ring» (in a battle duo against Linda, «Chay Vdvoem» and «Masha i Medvedi») symbolized their transition from newcomers to full-fledged stars of the Russian pop scene.
Discography of «Otpetye Moshenniki»
Studio albums
…из цветного пластилина
Year: 1997
The debut album that marked the official beginning of the band’s history. The material is raw, bold and very «street» in spirit — a mix of pop, rap and rough courtyard humor.
Notable tracks:
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«Бросай курить» — one of the band’s first big hits, still strongly associated with their early period.
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«Вижу, вижу»
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«Вечерина»
Already here you can clearly hear the signature image of «hooligans from the block» paired with a good pop songwriting instinct.
Всяко-разно
Year: 1998
An album that cemented the success of their debut and pushed «Otpetye Moshenniki» into heavy radio rotation. Sonically it’s a bright cocktail of pop rap, dance music and humorous stories.
Key tracks:
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«Всяко-разно»
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«Я учусь танцевать»
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«Хали-гали»
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«Бросай курить (Remix)»
From this period on, the band firmly became a «dancefloor brand» of the late 1990s.
Фигня
Year: 1999
The title itself reflects the band’s trademark self-irony. In reality, the album was another big step towards nationwide popularity.
Standout tracks:
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«Му-му» — a hit whose video was filmed on the Black Sea; both the clip and the song became the band’s calling card at the turn of the decade.
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«Двигай телом»
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Several tracks that frequently appeared on dance compilations and in club playlists.
Липкие руки 2
Year: 2000
A move towards the more «glossy» early-2000s producer sound, while still keeping their hooligan attitude.
Key tracks:
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«Девушки» («Девушки бывают разные») — one of the band’s most recognizable hits, with a video shot abroad; the song effectively became a «people’s favorite».
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«Замиксована-затусована»
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«У этого…» (and other club tracks of that period)
This album finally secured the band’s status as one of the leading dance-pop projects of the early 2000s.
Провокация
Year: 2002
A more conceptual and story-driven album, where the band actively plays with the image of «street bandits» and parodies criminal and everyday themes.
Main tracks:
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«А у реки»
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«Насосы»
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«Тараканы»
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«Новогоднее обращение к народу» — an ironic parody of official New Year’s addresses on TV.
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«Уеду-еду»
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«Паровоз»
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«Гоп-стоп»
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«5 часов утра (Remix)»
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«Люби меня, люби» in Mongolian — a rare fun fact and a playful bonus for fans.
Всякие песни о разном
Year: 2005
A «mosaic» album featuring many guest writers and artists. In terms of sound, it’s a blend of lyrical tracks, summer anthems and dance-oriented pop rap.
Key tracks and collaborations:
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«Лето — это…»
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«Прогноз погоды» (feat. X-Mode)
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«Обратите внимание»
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«Моя звезда» (there is also a video version in duet with «Slivki»)
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«День будет хорошим»
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«Хочется»
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«Дай на пиво»
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«Мани-мани» (+ remix)
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«Граница»
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«Что сравнится с юностью»
In practice, this was one of the band’s most «radio-friendly» releases of the mid-2000s.
Назло рекордам!!!
Year: 2008
An album from their later period, where «Otpetye Moshenniki» rely heavily on collaborations and a more mature, polished sound.
Key tracks and duets:
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«Сердцем к сердцу» — together with A’Studio
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«Лето-зима» (also released in a remix version)
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«Руки прочь от олигархов» — their trademark socially ironic theme
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«Индокитай»
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«Любовь согреет» — a duet with Karina Cox and the children’s studio «Ecole»
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«Топ-топай»
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«Я болею за “Зенит”» — a fan anthem for the football club
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«Я звезда»
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«Колледж» — together with Dominik Joker
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«Гаишники» — a duet with Svetlana Svetikova
This album became a kind of «assembly point» for all the experience they had accumulated and presented the band as a mature pop brand with strong ties in the industry.
Selected singles and hits
(Some of these songs first appeared on albums but then went on to live their own «single» life in rotations, charts and compilations.)
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«Бросай курить»
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«Всяко-разно»
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«Я учусь танцевать»
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«Му-му»
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«Всяко-разно» (various remixes and versions)
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«Люби меня, люби» (including the Mongolian version on «Провокация»)
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«Девушки» («Девушки бывают разные»)
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«Если надоело»
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«Всякие песни о разном» / «Лето — это…»
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«Мани-мани»
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«Сердцем к сердцу» (feat. A’Studio)
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«Я болею за “Зенит”»
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«Руки прочь от олигархов»
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«Гаишники» (feat. Svetlana Svetikova)
Rare facts and behind the scenes
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The band’s image was born almost by accident, but turned out to be so distinctive that it became their calling card.
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Before joining the band, Slava Zinnurov worked as a dancer for five years, which is why he was the one who brought acrobatic elements into the «Moshenniki» shows.
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Orlov was drawn to producing from a young age, and he became the creative driving force behind the project.
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The band once managed to perform at two venues in different cities on the same day — thanks to clever logistics and night flights.
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They had a huge following in various military units — their songs were often played during morning exercises and line-ups.
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The name «Moshenniki» («Swindlers») wasn’t always welcomed by TV channels, but it helped shape the image of daring «guys from the block», which strongly appealed to young audiences.
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In the early 2000s the band was seriously considered for voicing an animated series, but the idea never made it past the negotiation stage.
Peak popularity and later career
By 2000–2003, «Otpetye Moshenniki» were among the most in-demand touring artists in the country.
Their songs were heard everywhere — from courtyard boomboxes to clubs and large concert arenas.
Later, their sound evolved, but they continued to be sought-after performers, regularly releasing new songs and videos and appearing at major festivals.
Conclusion
«Otpetye Moshenniki» became a symbol of an era — bright, reckless, dance-driven and free. They brought a unique mix of humor, street romance and dance energy to the Russian pop scene. Their songs are still part of the cultural code of an entire generation, and the band members themselves remain living legends who forged their own style and left a noticeable mark on the history of Russian popular music.
The band continues to perform today, preserving their sincere charisma and that light, instantly recognizable hooligan spirit.
