YARMAK (born Oleksandr Valentynovych Yarmak, 24 October 1991 in Boryspil, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian rapper, singer and actor — one of the most distinctive and socially conscious voices in Ukrainian hip-hop. Growing up immersed in street culture and inspired by artists like Eminem and Basta, he found his calling in rap at an early age. His journey from a teenager in wide jeans and Nike sneakers to one of Ukraine's most recognisable rap artists is a story of pure self-made hustle.
In the summer of 2011, Yarmak began posting tracks on social media and YouTube with no label backing and no industry connections. By December that year, his first music video had clocked over 50,000 views in a single night and hit one million views within two weeks — entirely through organic word of mouth. His debut album "YasYuTuba" followed in 2012. In 2013 the video for "Serdze Patsana" ("Boy's Heart") became the most-viewed video among all Russian-speaking artists on YouTube at the time, accumulating 19 million views, and was named Video of the Year by the New Rap portal. His second album, simply titled "The Second Album", came the same year.
Yarmak has never shied away from using his platform. He documented the Revolution of Dignity in 2014 with his own camera, filming street clashes between protesters and police — footage he incorporated into the video for the song "22", combining patriotic lyrics about Ukraine with hard-hitting hip-hop. His third album "Made in UA" (2015) with 18 tracks continued that blend of personal storytelling and social commentary. He has also appeared as an actor in the Ukrainian TV comedy series "Yak Hartuvavsya Style" (2013–2014).
On 26 February 2022 — two days after Russia's full-scale invasion began — Yarmak joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He started as a grenadier, then completed military training and moved into aerial reconnaissance. Alongside his combat duties, he participates in the Cultural Forces project, performing for soldiers in the most dangerous frontline positions. YARMAK is not just a rapper; he is a fighter in every sense of the word.
