Ukrainian Hip-Hop Band Brings A Message To Americans: Don't Forget Ukraine

July 11, 2026. Ukrainian hip-hop set TNMK performs astatine Soyuzivka Ukrainian Heritage Center successful Kerhonkson, New York.

Katya Soldak

Ukrainian hip-hop set TNMK came to New York this period pinch music, witty lyrics, and a reminder for Americans: Don't hide Ukraine.

The United States, they said, should retrieve the information assurances it made erstwhile Ukraine gave up the world's third-largest atomic arsenal successful 1994 aft the illness of the Soviet Union.

The connection came during concerts successful New York City and astatine Soyuzivka Ukrainian Heritage Center successful the Catskill Mountains.

Many New Yorkers cognize the region's historical Borscht Belt, a web of Jewish resorts that flourished during the 20th century. Far less cognize astir what immoderate Ukrainian Americans telephone "Little Ukraine" — a fistful of resorts, children's camps and taste centers founded by immigrants who fled World War II, Soviet business and postwar displacement successful Europe.

The forests, waterfalls and rolling mountains reminded them of Ukraine's Carpathian Mountains. They built places wherever they could sphere their language, traditions and personality while creating caller lives successful America.

Today, each summer, Ukrainian festivals, concerts and younker camps tie visitors from crossed the United States to the Catskills. Contemporary musicians execute alongside people ensembles. Children study accepted dance, songs and crafts while besides gathering artists helping style modern Ukrainian culture.

The best-known of those places is Soyuzivka Ukrainian Heritage Center successful Kerhonkson, founded astir 75 years agone by the Ukrainian National Association. It is not the only one. Nearby are Oselya CYM successful Ellenville, Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church and Parish Center successful Jewett, NY, and dozens of backstage homes displaying blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags on winding upland roads.

For decades, these places helped sphere a civilization separated from its homeland by the Iron Curtain. Since Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022, they person taken connected a renewed role.

Thousands of Ukrainians who arrived successful the United States aft fleeing the warfare expected to beryllium distant from location only briefly. More than 4 years later, galore are still here. For them, places for illustration Soyuzivka person go gathering places wherever newcomers tin support ties pinch the established Ukrainian diaspora and support the state they were forced to time off behind.

It was there, earlier TNMK's July 17 concert, that I sat down pinch founding members Oleh Mykhailyuta, known arsenic Fahot, and Oleksandr Sydorenko, known arsenic Fozzy.

When I introduced myself and mentioned I was besides from Kharkiv, their hometown, they instantly asked the mobility each Kharkiv autochthonal yet asks another: "So, what vicinity are you from?"

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is known for its universities, investigation institutes and historical metropolis center. With a prewar organization of astir 2 million, it is besides a metropolis of neighborhoods pinch chopped identities. Within seconds, we established that nary of america came from the historical metropolis center. I grew up successful Novoselivka. Sydorenko is from Novi Doma. Mykhailyuta is from Saltivka.

Saltivka, particularly its bluish part, is nary longer conscionable a residential territory of identical grey flat blocks that erstwhile housed astir half a cardinal people. Since 2022, it has go 1 of the symbols of Ukraine's guidance aft enduring relentless Russian shelling during the first twelvemonth of the full-scale invasion.

I first saw TNMK execute successful Kharkiv successful 1996 during a location qualifying information of the Chervona Ruta Festival, Ukraine's landmark modern younker euphony show that helped motorboat galore of the country's best-known artists.

The pursuing year, aft winning the 1997 Chervona Ruta Festival pinch "Zroby Meni Hip-Hop," TNMK embarked connected a profession that would make it 1 of Ukraine's defining hip-hop groups.

Three decades later, the group remains 1 of Ukraine’s astir influential bands. Their euphony blends hip-hop pinch rock, funk and jazz, backed by unrecorded instruments and lyrics that displacement betwixt humor, societal commentary and philosophy.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, concerts person taken connected different purpose. The set has toured internationally to raise money for Ukraine's subject needs. According to Roman Panychevnyy, laminitis of MoLoKo Entertainment, which organizes tours by Ukrainian artists successful North America, TNMK has raised much than $250,000 during 3 U.S. tours.

Not each TNMK members were capable to recreation this time. Three members of the set are presently serving successful Ukraine's equipped forces, leaving Mykhailyuta and Sydorenko to execute pinch a DJ.

"This is conscionable the hip-hop version," Mykhailyuta said pinch a grin. “One DJ, 2 MCs. The system version.” The stripped-down circuit comes arsenic TNMK marks its 30th anniversary. Later this year, the set plans to circuit pinch a symphonic orchestra program.

Much of what the set does is connected to Russia's full-scale warfare connected Ukraine, now successful its 5th year.

"Every time thing changes successful Ukraine," Mykhailyuta said. "Everywhere successful Ukraine is dangerous. You unrecorded each time arsenic if it could beryllium your last. It changes the measurement you deliberation astir tomorrow. It becomes philosophy, because tomorrow whitethorn ne'er come."

After much than 4 years of full-scale war, world attraction has inevitably shifted elsewhere.

"The media decides what group salary attraction to," Mykhailyuta said. "If group extremity talking astir Ukraine, the world will hide Ukraine. We person to support reminding group that we're still here, that we're still surviving."

"The United States persuaded america to springiness up our atomic weapons," he said. "I'd for illustration each American to retrieve that."

In 1994, nether the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine surrendered what was past the world’s third-largest atomic arsenal. In return, the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia pledged to respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and existing borders. "So wherever are those guarantors now?" Mykhailyuta asked.

The speech turned to aerial defense, 1 of Ukraine's astir urgent needs arsenic Russia continues rocket and drone attacks connected cities crossed the country. Asked astir the anticipation of Ukraine yet producing Patriot interceptor missiles nether license, Mykhailyuta said it would still return astatine slightest 3 aliases 4 years.

"If we're fixed a license, it still takes time," he said. "Think astir really galore group will dice successful those 3 years."

With 3 set members serving successful Ukraine's equipped forces and the group continuing to raise money for the military, TNMK besides continues to constitute and grounds caller music. The group's latest release, "Bida za Bidov," was the last opus produced by Oleksii Saranchin, who died aft suffering a stroke.

"We don't stop," Mykhailyuta said. "There is simply a Tom Waits quote that I emotion truthful overmuch that group successful Ukraine astir apt deliberation it's mine. 'You person to support busy. After all, nary dog's ever pissed connected a moving car.'"

Sydorenko besides raises money by trading his books. Known to readers by his shape name, Fozzy, he has published much than 10 books of fiction, short stories and essays, including a celebrated bid of children's books astir the adventures of Vasyl Hupalo, a Ukrainian superhero.

Like millions of Ukrainians, his family fled aft Russia's full-scale invasion. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the war, they are now preparing to return home. For some musicians, Ukraine's early depends not only connected those who remained successful Ukraine but besides connected those forced to leave.

"We want Ukrainians everywhere, whether they're successful America, Europe aliases location else, to support reasoning astir home," Sydorenko said. "Some group want to return but can't. We understand that."

"But wherever Ukrainians live, we want them to support what's happening backmost home. Without the diaspora, without everyone who had to leave, it would beryllium overmuch harder for Ukraine. We cognize that our spot is successful our unity."

"The astir important thing," he added, "is not to forget. Don't hide what gave america life and what raised us."

"Sooner aliases later," Mykhailyuta said, "you're going to springiness america the Tomahawks anyway. Let's make it sooner."

"Yes," Sydorenko added. "Sooner is amended than later. It's successful your ain interest. A beardown Ukraine is successful the interests of some Europe and America."

"If group don't understand that yet," Mykhailyuta said, "they should deliberation astir it a small much carefully."