Taco Hemingway's Jarmark

Examining the cultural significance of the rap album Jarmark (2020) as a reflection of Polish politics and history during the country's populist turn and migration following EU enlargement. Jarmark is Taco Hemingway's fifth album, and his most political to date, coming soon after he became the first Polish artist to be streamed a billion times on Spotify. Previously described as the voice of a generation with nothing to say, Hemingway's political turn can be read as an intervention, not least because Jarmark was released two days before the presidential election in 2020, which had the potential to end PiS (Law and Justice)'s reign. As such, the book examines the album as a response to a crisis point in Polish society, with a country divided about its future, both politically and socially. It explores the textual and musical characteristics of the album within the context of the history of Polish rap and Hemingway's career. It also discusses the impact of the album, by examining its reception by fans as reflected by comments on YouTube and social media, its critical reception, sales and awards.