Radoslav, why did you choose Gipsy.cz, a web address, as the name for your band?
Radoslav 'Gipsy' Banga (vocals): "We did that very intentionally, because we were looking for the easiest and shortest way to express that we are gipsies from the Czech Republic. Gipsy.cz does exactly that and as an extra bonus we can also use it as the URL of our website."
What sets Gipsy.cz apart from other gipsy bands is the fact that you guys combine traditional gipsy music with hip hop. How big is hip hop in the Czech Republic?
Radoslav Banga: "There's a quite big hip hop scene in the Czech Republic. In the beginning - you have to realize that hip hop only started to filter in the Czech Republic around the end of the nineties - the scene was straight up hip hop, but recently it's become heavily influenced by R&B. I was a member of a hardcore hip hop band called Syndrom Snopp, but with the changes in the scene, there was little point to continue."
Did you guys rap in English or Czech?
Radoslav Banga: "I was the only gipsy in the band and we rapped in Czech."
Who would you say were your musical influences in hip hop? Which rappers did you listen to as a youth?
Radoslav Banga: "I listened a lot to things like Gang Starr, KRS-One, Black Moon, Jeru the Damaja and so on. I've always been very fond of the hip hop sound from New York, East Coast style, but from the West Coast I really loved Warren G."
Gipsy.cz performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 and finished somewhere at the bottom end of the ranking. Why did you decide to participate in the first place?
Radoslav Banga: "For us it was an ideal chance to be seen and heard all over Europe. In the Czech Republic the Eurovision Song Contest hasn't a longstanding tradition yet; we've only participated three times so far, so we really weren't too sure what to expect and it quickly became clear that we shouldn't put our hopes up. The Eurovision Song Contest isn't really about music; it's about a lot of other factors that we didn't really take into account. What was interesting for me to experience was to see the whole commercial marketing machine in action. It showed me that the music business is often not about being good at what you do, but about the people you know."
The Czech Republic has just declared it's no longer participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. Do you agree with that decision?
Radoslav Banga: "I agree because I don't think it makes any sense for the Czech Republic to participate in that kind of competition. Musically the Czech Republic is quite rock-‘n-roll; the Czech people really love rock music."
You're Czech and gipsy. The gipsy minority in the Czech Republic suffers a lot of discrimination and racism. You being such a popular and public figure, do you think your popularity can change something in the attitude of the Czech people towards gipsies?
Radoslav Banga: "Well, there is a lot of discrimination of the gipsies in Czech Republic, but the question that is asked far too little is: "Why?" The fact of the matter is that the Roma community in the Czech Republic is just very problematic. There is a high rate of criminality and a lack of education. I think me being successful and well-known is certainly important, if only for the fact that I can act as a role model for the younger generation of gipsies. With Gipsy.cz we are trying to restore a certain harmony in the country. I do realize that we're only a small light in a tunnel of darkness, but at least we represent the hope of a better and brighter future. Gipsy.cz is not only about music, we're also quite politically involved; we actively want to change things."
In conclusion, being gipsy, what does that mean for you, what is it about?
Radoslav Banga: "Except for my blood and genes, I think it's mostly about emotions; the gipsy people are a very emotional nation. If we're happy we'll laugh and if we're sad we will cry. Gipsies don't live for yesterday, neither for tomorrow, but just for the moment we're in. We love, we hate, we live!"