Aiza Anokhina ex-husband hype, street culture, Sam, the police and the 90s.

To provoke the public with bold statements, not to stay on the sidelines and turn every new hobby into a successful business. Who is Aiza Anokhina today? What is the life of a modern rap diva and a representative of that very old-school generation, when street culture was more than just a phrase. In this and many other things we try to understand in our interview.

– Many people believe that the foundation of what we are now is laid in childhood. What do you think is in you now from childhood? And where did the desire to stand out come from?

– I think the desire to stand out has been with me since I was born. I’m a person of perpetual pretension. It always seems to me that I, as a girl, as a mother, as a wife, as a friend, should always strive for the ideal. I demand a lot from myself and others, but not unreasonably. And I am very grateful to my parents for the fact that they did not give me anything for nothing. If I wanted new clothes, I had to do a lot of housework. I had to help my dad at work, translate texts from Russian into English and from English into Russian. Every thing I received I had to earn, do my work on time and approach it with all responsibility. I was taught “not to be a freeloader”, and that’s a very useful skill.

– What was your active hobby as a child, sport?

– Badminton(just kidding). In general, I used to snowboard. I loved it, although I was not so good at it, I didn’t become a pro. But I always had the best sponsor – Burton, so I had the most fashionable outfits on the slope.

– Do you think sports are necessary in principle in childhood? I know your son, Sam, is boxing. Did he choose it or did you tell him to do it?

– No, I didn’t tell him(smiles), he’s an independent boy. He sees that his dad is practicing, so he wanted to do it himself. In general, I think that children need sports, but in moderation, so as not to traumatize the body and psyche. I know what I’m talking about, my mom is a professional gymnast. Now she is constantly treating her back and joints, it’s certainly a big price to pay for her professional career.

It’s better to let yourself down than the whole team.

– Do you think a parent can be their child’s coach or should they remain themselves?

– I’m sure that a parent should remain a parent. That’s a fact. Because putting pressure on kids does not lead to anything good. If you do professional sports, the most important thing is the support of parents. They take their child to trainings, quit their jobs to accompany their children everywhere, believe and support their endeavors. Other moms and dads, on the contrary, work three times as hard to pay for a hobby that can lead to a championship title. The role of parents is very important, but it’s important not to overdo it.

– Growing up you were very influenced by street culture. How did it all start? What did you pick up on the streets?

– I got everything from the streets(笑), actually. Because I grew up in the skateboarding and snowboarding community. And I spent a lot of time with extreme people.

– What kind of people are they?

– It’s their own atmosphere. They’re real people. Real teenagers, regardless of the number of years on their passport, absolutely fearless. But what I like most is that they have goals and ideals.

– What’s cool about street partying? What can it teach you?

– To take responsibility for yourself and your words first and foremost. That’s why I love individual sports, and team sports – on the contrary. Although I want my son to do both individual and team sports. To learn how to work both with a group of people and independently in the future. It’s very important to be flexible these days.

– What do you think is harder: working in a team or working on your own?

– I think it is harder to work in a team. I am a very responsible person, so I would be terribly afraid to let anyone down. I would rather let myself down than people who believe in you and count on you.

– Can you remember the coolest situation when you were not afraid to go against any rules and regulations?

– I was 14 or 15 years old. A friend of mine was taken to the police for skateboarding. So I stormed into the police station and made a mess(笑). Screaming, threatening. Everyone in the ward was shocked, so they let him go. This has been in me since childhood: I can’t stand the fact that for loving something that doesn’t harm anyone, they can take me to the police.

– How do you feel about it? After all, the police pay a lot of attention to those who skateboard, paint graffiti.

– I think the police have better things to do. When I was hanging out with extreme skaters, there were no parks and ramps like there are now. Everybody rode on what they had: monuments, railings. And I like what is happening now. They’re developing this culture. After all, everyone realizes that you can’t take children off the street, so you can make the street safe.

– Many people consider the street culture of that time (90s and noughties) to be real. And what is happening now is a bit cultured. Was there any special atmosphere in Moscow of that time for you? And what was it expressed in?

– There was. It was a very small party where everyone knew each other. Every venue was a home for you. Your friends everywhere. Nowadays, someone buys a skateboard just because it’s trendy. There’s a billion kinds of skateboards. You walk into a store and you’re really surprised. But the culture is growing, and we have to progress with it. It’s cool. New movements are emerging. For example, scooter riders have occupied all the skate parks, they’re annoying(笑). It’s true that now young people choose what is easier to skate on. And in our time… it was harder and more interesting, just because it was all new to us.

I don’t like to plan 150 years in advance. I’ll fly out in a week, fly back in two and record a new song, that’s all I know. I’m not afraid of tomorrow.

– Have you seen yourself in rap before? If someone told you 10 years ago that you would record a track and blow up YouTube, what would you have said?

– I would have said: “Yeah, that’s my style!”. I’ve always been into rap, because it was the music of our time. The time when I was hanging out with skaters. I freestyled all the time, I never really wanted to be on stage much though, that’s a fact.

– How do you feel about rapping? What message do you carry in your image?

– There’s no message. I just make cool, smart enough songs. Some people like it, some people don’t. Being a girl in rap is difficult but very tempting because it’s not a very popular niche in our country. I like to feel unique.

– In order to read out a hip track, do you have to balance on the edge of topics or find your style?

– I do what I want to do and I don’t chase trends. If I want to sing a pop song, I do it, and if I want to rap hard, I do it too. I believe that creativity can’t be framed.

– Your tracks are very much about the past and present, and you’re not afraid to look to the future?

– I don’t like to plan 150 years ahead. I’ll fly out in a week, fly back in two and record a new song – that’s all I know. I’m not afraid of tomorrow.

– Moscow for work and Bali for life?

– Yes, that’s true. But I love Moscow because I love work.

– How did it happen that so much of your life is connected with this island?

– I’ve dreamed of being there for 10 years, but for some reason it didn’t work out. I was very much drawn there. I guess it’s because I really wanted to go to my future husband, because all this time he was living there(笑).

– Do you rest and recuperate there?

– No, I’m also working and taking care of the kids. But I feel very comfortable there physically. The children don’t get sick, no one needs to dress warmly, especially myself(笑), and in general the rhythm of life is very comfortable.

– If you met your real self on the street 8 years ago, what would you think about this girl?

– “No way you’re an old lady! You look so cool!”