Born in Ukraine and raised in Berlin, Christian Streitsov—aka Kalazh44—found hip-hop via 50 Cent and Mobb Deep, whose influence is evident in his tight flow and affinity for layering potent lyrics over minimalist beats. Signed by Mosh36 to his independent label OhOhMusik, Kalazh44 started out serving verses on cyphers alongside his contemporaries. On his own tracks, he toasts to glittering ambition and meditates on mental health with equal confidence. Between the hazy melancholy of “Gebet” and the fierce narrative core of “Love for My Brothers”, this is a modern MC with an old-school soul.