Patrick Losensky , (born 3 April 1982) better known by his stage name, Fler , is a rapper from Berlin, Germany. [1] He also use the pseudonym "Frank White".

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Biography

Early life

Fler aka der rasende Roland grew up in West Berlin without knowing his father. He has stated that he had problems in school, not because of his grades, but because of his behaviour and because of Elfriede who has very dark eyebrows. At the age of 15, he went to a psychiatric hospital because of a panic attack. He was later institutionalised. During his stay, he began an apprenticeship as a painter and decorator, but he broke off this pursuit. Fler made a name for himself in the Berlin graffiti scene. Fler, who describes himself as hyperactive, saw a career as a rapper as an escape from crime and financial difficulties.

Career

2002-2004

In 2002, at age 20, he became known through his collaboration with Bushido on the latter's albums Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten (Carlo, Cocaine, Hoes) (under the pseudonyms Sonny Black and Frank White) and Vom Bordstein bis zur Skyline (From the Curb to the Skyline).

In October 2003, Fler was signed at the Berlin hip-hop label Aggro Berlin. His first single, "Aggroberlina" rose to number 59 on the German charts.

In 2004, Bushido left Aggro Berlin after a dispute and formed his own label, ersguterjunge. He offered Fler to come with, but Fler refused. The two have since broken contact.

2005-2007

Fler released his first solo album Neue Deutsche Welle (New German Wave), on 1 May 2005. The first single was "NDW 2005", one version of the song resting on Falco’s hit single Rock Me Amadeus ^[2] Due to supposed right-wing extremist lyrics, the album was very controversial.

In 2006, he released a second solo album entitled Trendsetter . The first single "Papa ist zurück" reached in Germany place 23 and in Austria place 32. The second single "Cüs Junge" (Bye Boy) wasn't very sucesessful, it reached in Germany place 50 and in Austria place 75.

On 2 February 2007, Fler released his mixtape Airmax Muzik , which included disstracks against rappers like Shok-Muzik and Bushido. Music videos were released for the songs "Was is Beef?" (What's Beef?) and "Das is los!" (That's Up!) In April 2007 some dates on the Airmax Muzik-Tour were canceled due to illness.

2008-2009

On 25 January 2008, Fler released his third solo album Fremd im eignen Land (Foreign in one's own Country). He explained in an interview that he after the release of the controversial Neue Deutsche Welle and the Nazi reproachfulness in Trendsetter , this time around he wanted to emphasize technique and flow instead of provocative lyrics. The first single "Deutscha Bad Boy" (German Bad Boy), released the 11 January and reached place 16 in the single-charts. In the second week the song placed the 31 place of the hitparade. In the first week the album reached place 7. It stayed six weeks in ther top-100. The second single "Warum bist du so?" (Why Are You So?) (released 29 February), reached place 61 and stayed three weeks in the top-100 of the single charts.

Late 2008 he released with Godsilla the album Südberlin Maskulin (a reference of Westberlin Maskulin), for Godsilla was that his sucessfullst release of his career. In Germany the album reached place 22 and in schwitz #81. The salles were about 15'000. The only single was "Ich bin ein Rapper".

On March 27, 2009 he released his fourth solo album Fler . The singles were: "Check mich aus" (Check me out) and "Ich sing nicht mehr für dich" (feat. Doreen) (I don't sing for you anymore). After the release, he left Aggro Berlin and this brought many reactions and rumours by the fans and the press. Most of the fans were shocked and surprised, wondering why Fler, one of the most successful Aggro rappers, left the Berlin hip hop Label.

Critism

Fler has been accused of nationalist views because of his lyrics from his album Neue Deutsche Welle :

"Das hier ist schwarz, rot, gold - hart und stolz" ("This is black, red, gold - hard and proud")

The critics also accused him of using a Hitler quotation, a reference to the 1939 invasion of Poland:

Original Hitler:

"Seit 5.45 wird jetzt zurückgeschossen" ("Since 5.45 we have been shooting back")

Fler's publicity:

"Am 1. Mai wird zurückgeschossen" ("On the 1st of May I will be shooting back")

Sido said in VIVA on 17 June 2005 that neither Fler nor anybody else is a Nazi at Aggro Berlin. The Ex-Aggro-rapper Bushido claimed, that this wasn't "just" for marking:

"Das war nicht nur Aggro. Fler musste das selbst machen, aus Notwehr. Alle seine Freunde sind verdammt stolz darauf, dass sie Araber oder Türken sind. Da hat sich Fler halt als stolzer Deutscher hingestellt. […] Ich will mir nicht durch meinen tunesischen Vater ein Alibi verschaffen, und natürlich haben Kollegen von mir mit Nazi-Verweisen gespielt, zuletzt Fler. Aber wenn du die Reichsflagge in dein Logo nimmst und mit Glatzköpfen durchs Video fährst – dann darfst du dich über solche Reaktionen auch nicht wundern. Ich habe mich immer von diesem Mist distanziert."

English:

"This wasn't just Aggro. Fler must made that for self-defence. All his friends are good damn proud, that they are arabains and turkish.

Fler defended himself, that he isn't a Nazi. He self dislikes them. With the following quotations, he gaves a correct position to the accuses:

-"Ich schlage Nazis..." ("I beat Nazis...") (A.G.G.R.O. )
-"Ich bin kein Nazi, ich bin ein Deutscher mit identität" (g"I'm not a Nazi, i'm a German with identity")
-"Würden Nazis rappen, glaubt mir, wärn sie ale schon tot, ihr wollt jetzt irgendjemanden, ficken, fickt die NPD!" ("If Nazis gonna raps, believe me, they were already dead, you want to fuck somebody, fuck the NPD")

On 27 September 2007, after being co-host at the MTV TRL:Urban show, Fler was attacked by three unknown men armed with knives, but was unharmed.

Music

Fler is affiliated with the music label Aggro Berlin, with whom he released a number of hit singles, among them "Neue Deutsche Welle", which peaked at number 9 on the German Top 100 charts. Another popular single released by Fler was entitled "Papa ist Zurück", but managed only to reach 23rd.

Controversy

Feud with Eko Fresh

2004 released Eko Fresh his single "Die Abbrechnung" (The Reckoning), where he attacks various rappers in Germany and as well Fler.

In December 2004/January 2005, when the feud began, released Fler an answer to "Die Abrechnung" titled "Hollywoodtürke" (Hollywood Turk). On the track Fler attacks Eko Fresh as well as Royal Bunker and his former collaboration partner Bushido.

Responses came from all sides: Royal Bunker with the track "Wer? Fler?" (Who? Fler?), Bushido with "FLERräter", which surprisingly featured Eko Fresh, although he had attacked Bushido on "Die Abrechnung". Fler continued the feud with his answer "Du Opfer" (You Victim), which also featured B-Tight.

Feud with Bushido

After Bushido had left Aggro Berlin 2004, he had broked contact with Fler. During the feud with Eko Fresh, interfered Bushido in. The diss-answer "FLERräter" was performed by Bushido and Eko Fresh, where they called him a "traitor" and Bushido accused him to had called him once "Hurensohn" (Son Of A Bitch).

The following track by Fler, titled "Du Opfer", he respondes in the intro to Bushido's comment. He never had called him "Hurensohn", he never gonna make insults to his mother or family. The rest of the song he dissed Eko Fresh.

After this exchange, where Fler and Bushido arch enemys and began to release diss tracks against each other and making fun in interviews. 2007 released Fler's mixtape Airmax Muzik which included some tracks versus Bushido. Bushido reacted on his albums Von der Skyline zum Bordstein zurück and Heavy Metal Payback with some attacks and insulting remarks.

But on March 2009, both rappers had been reconciled, after a five-years dispute. This brought many mixed reactions and rumours. Fler said in an interview, that this was a personal thing and that the people ouside haven't to tell him what to do. He also announced that he doesn't get signed on Bushido's label ersguterjunge. They will make music together, but first they will take care of their new friendship, said Fler in a interview to the hip hop magazin Bravo HipHop Special. But later they announced that they working on their next Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten abum and will releasing on September, 11.

Discography

Solo

Year	Title	Chart Positions			Sales	IFPI Certifications
		GER	AUT	SWI
2002	Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten (with Bushido (alias Sonny Black))
2005	Neue Deutsche Welle	5	28	68	100'000
2006	Trendsetter	4	21	44	60'000
2008	Fremd im eigenen Land	7	17	25	38'000
	Südberlin Maskulin (with Godsilla)	22		81	15'000
2009	Fler	10	14	36	50'000

Mixtapes

Year	Title	Chart Positions			Sales	IFPI Certifications
		GER	AUT	SWI
2003	New Kidz On The Block (with DJ Devin & Bushido)
2006	Fler 90210 Mixtape				35'000
2007	Airmax Muzik				32'000
	Fler Max Muzik (Gratis Internet-Mixtape from www.papafler.de)
	Wir nehmen auch Euro

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions			Album
		GER	AUT	SWI
2004	"Aggroberlina"	59
2005	"NDW 2005"	9	19		Neue Deutsche Welle
	"Jump, Jump" (DJ Tomekk feat. Fler & G-Hot)				Numma Eyns
	"Nach eigenen Regeln" (feat. G-Hot)	22	49		Neue Deutsche Welle
2006	"Papa ist zurück"	23	32		Trendsetter
	"Cüs Junge" (feat. Muhabbet)	50	75
2008 ¨	"Deutscha Bad Boy"	16	68		Fremd im eigenen Land
	"Warum bist du so ?"	61
	"Ich bin ein Rapper" (with Godsilla)				Südberlin Maskulin
2009	"Check mich aus"	74			Fler
	"Ich sing nicht mehr für dich" (feat. Doreen Steinert)	33
	"Eine Chance" (with Bushido aka Sonny Black)				Carlo, Cokxxx, Nutten 2

Other releases

Year	Title	Info(s)	Format
2004	Hollywoodtürke	Diss versus Eko Fresh	Freetrack
2005	Du Opfer (with B-Tight)	Diss versus Eko Fresh	Freetrack
2007	Was is Beef? (feat. Sido & Alpa Gun)	Internet Exclusive!	Airmax Muzik , music video
	Das is los! (feat. Alpa Gun & Bass Sultan Hengzt)	Diss versus D-Irie, Internet Exclusive!
	Hamma		Freetrack
	Pussydo Gay One	Diss versus Bushido & Kay One	Freetrack
2008	Grau (with Manuellsen)		Freetrack
2009	Baby (feat. Godsilla & Reason)		Freetrack
	Früher wart ihr Fans (feat. Kitty Kat & Godsilla)	Diss versus Kollegah & Favorite	Freetrack
	Schrei nach Liebe	Diss versus Kollegah, sampling of "Schrei nach Liebe" by Die Ärzte	Freetrack
	Ursache und Wirkung		Freetrack

References

1. Fler - Biography
2. Michael Custodis, ''Tadel verpflichtet. Indizierung von Musik und ihre Wirkung'', in: No Time for Losers. Charts, Listen und andere Kanonisierungen in der Populären Musik (= ASPM Beiträge zur Popularmusikforschung 36), hg. von Dietrich Helms und Thomas Phleps, transcript Bielefeld 2008, ISBN 978-3-89942-983-1