Meet the Romanian gypsy pop stars who rake in millions with their version of gangster rap
But Manele – a Turkish-sounding electro-folk which originated in Romania in the 1980s – is proving controversial
KANYE West might have some competition in the charts from a bunch of Romanian gypsy pop stars.
A new genre of music dubbed the travelling community’s “version of gangster rap” is gaining popularity – and earning the performers millions in the process.
But Manele – a Turkish-sounding electro-folk which originated in Romania in the 1980s – is proving controversial.
A new BBC documentary, by BAFTA-nominated director Liviu Tipurita, has shined a spotlight on the ostentatious tunes, which glorify guzzling expensive champagne, driving fast cars and splashing obscene amounts of cash.
Lyrics in famous Manele tunes include, “Good at work, good at everything, good in bed, like no other man in my village”, boasting about “countless bank notes” and claiming to “live like sultans”.
Music videos show stars at lavish parties and proudly basking in their wealth.
The singers earn up to £15,000 a night for a wedding or club performance, but the music is having a dramatic impact on the locals.
“There has been an extraordinary change in the Roma community,” explains one disgruntled local in The New Gypsy Kings, which airs on BBC Two tonight.
“From carts to Ferraris, from tents to palaces.”
Another comments how Manele music has become “the passport to riches and status”.
The Roma community is one of the most marginalised in Europe with eighty per cent of people living below the poverty line.
Despite acts like Ciocarlia and Fanfara achieving global fame, many traditional Manele musicians are wary of the culture surrounding it.
One even claims that it's destroying their “authenticity and spirit”.
However, Adrian Minune, a wealthy Manele singer, loves showing off his opulent home with its gigantic swimming pool.
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Showcasing his fancy wardrobe, he boasts: “I have exclusive clothes because when an artist appears, I believe he must stand out from the crowd.”
Adrian’s wealth is estimated to be around the £70 million mark.
Meanwhile, fellow artist Orica Ivancea reveals how selling hundreds of thousands of records, and performing in Japan and New Zealand, has allowed him to buy the big house he has always dreamed of.
This World: The New Gypsy Kings, airs on BBC Two tonight at 9pm