Martix: the new album Arsen fortifies his status as the poet rapper

We’ve been planning this conversation for a year. Ever since Martix released Buden Sonuvam (Dreaming while awake), the idea of this interview took root—and never let go. I risk veering into clichés by insisting that my interviewee is the most brilliant, most talented, most inspired, without overanalyzing any shortcomings. But this conversation wouldn’t be happening if his work hadn’t moved me—if it hadn’t illuminated something within me. What he creates means so much more because it’s in Macedonian—a language that evokes a world we call home, filled with stories we recognize and expertly told. While brilliant music is universal, hip-hop in particular demands an understanding of a new cultural lexicon. In the lyrics of Martix (and many Macedonian rappers), we find ourselves at home: inspired, not alienated.

The interview, however, didn’t happen earlier because time kept slipping through my fingers. Though Martix generously reassured me that I had as much time as I needed to prepare and "not to rush," I still feel like I owe him—not just him, but myself and everyone. I owe a conversation with Martix—one of the finest poets among rappers. And poets. Period. The most vibrant, visceral Macedonian poetry seems to live in rap at this moment.

In this conversation, we delve into his musical inspirations, the profound symbolism behind Arsen, and the challenges of collaborating remotely with Fundament. But this is also a discussion about poetry, emotions, and how music can push us beyond our comfort zones—to the places where we feel most alive.

Насловница на најновиот албум на Martix наречен Арсен.

How are you? How have your days been lately, and what’s been on your mind? 🙂

Content and grateful. Those are the final steps before happiness.

Lately, everything has revolved around the 30th—the album promotion date—but a lot of things still circle around the album, its placement, and promotion. I’ve been receiving messages that feel like wind in my sails, and that’s a sign we didn’t make a mistake by raising “Sidrо Gоре” (“Anchors Up”).

What’s been on my mind are all the pre-orders and post-orders I still haven’t delivered. 🙂

You don’t have to be Martix’s biggest fan to notice your connection with poetry and literature: your debut is titled NeverAmore, you have a track called “Црни Мугри” (“Black Dawns”), and another called “Трпител на дејството” (“The Bearer of Action”). Where does that come from? A natural inclination toward literature, a passion, or perhaps professional grounding?

It started with the stories my grandmother used to tell me. That’s when I realized stories could keep me awake, not put me to sleep. Later, it was school reading assignments and other literature from authors who left an impression on me.I fell in love with writing, perhaps around the time of my first essays in Macedonian class. Then I studied General and Comparative Literature, so my personal passion gained a professional foundation.

What came first for you? Was it rap or poetry? Or is this a chicken-and-egg kind of question?

Rap. I grew up with CDs from my brother and cousin, and that’s how I first heard SAF and Most Wanted from Macedonia, then Edo Maajka, and later DMX, Biggie, and Snoop on some pirate compilation. Poetry and the desire to write came later, when I thought I had something meaningful to say myself. 🙂

What role does Fundament play in your work? It seems to have a major influence since you credit it as a collaborator and co-author. What did it bring to Arsen?

Arsen was made 50-50 with Fundament, and I can’t imagine this album being any different than it is now. Fundament has had a recognizable sound for years, and that sound remains here, though I think there was also growth in the approach and sensibility.I like to believe this project brought out the best in both of us. Fundament was the first spark, the initial idea for an album that would be fully collaborative, and Arsen was one of the concepts we discussed.The line, “I move forward as long as Prokopenko is behind me,” was written because I felt that Fundament would dedicate himself completely to the project and motivate me to overcome every challenge.

Macedonia and the Balkans seem interwoven into contemporary hip-hop. J. Cole raps:“Since our last undressin' sessionI'm not really sure if you've been checkin'I'm progressin', I just heard my songs is poppin' out in MacedoniaAnd even Serbia…”Kendrick Lamar sampled “Ostavi Trag” on DAMN, Eminem and his crew appeared at the BET Awards wearing shirts with “Semoќni” (“The Almighty”) in Macedonian, Drake posed with an Albanian flag in a music video, and A$AP Rocky smashed it with a video soaked in Slav Core, shot in Kyiv. Do you have an idea where this fusion comes from? Is there a strong scene here that leaves a mark, and do you think your peers recognize it?

I think they see it as an exotic place, an orient, the same way we look at a big part of the world. Producers are usually very curious people who dig through music from all over, and here, too, many of them have found an emotion that inspires them and can be turned into instrumentals.The first thing that comes to mind on this topic is Vinnie Paz’s “Slum Chemist”, which samples “Kaži Zashto Me Ostavi” by Jimmy Stanić. There are also fascinating collaborations, like Turkish rapper Ceza working with Tech N9ne and Busta Rhymes. Our own Riste Irakoski has a song with A.F.R.O., the guy who wowed R.A. The Rugged Man to the point of taking him on every tour and introducing him to all the big names in America.Surely, something leaves a mark, but music always finds its way. It’s still the best ambassador and the easiest way to connect with people from other places.

Your latest album, Arsen, features Tibor from Croatia, and at the launch, besides Tibor, WLD from Sofia was also present. Where are we in the Balkan context? Are there hierarchies like before, or are we working side by side?

Every Balkan country has its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to hip-hop.I’ve never viewed it in terms of hierarchy or subjugation, but unfortunately, some countries can’t market themselves as effectively due to language barriers. Collaborations, however, have existed for a long time and still do.During the few days Tibor was here, he managed to record about five songs and establish a much wider network. He even recorded with WLD, possibly making the first Croatian-Bulgarian rap collaboration.I’ve already worked with WLD and Tibor, and last weekend we were in Sofia with Toksikolozi, recording a track with Secta. In the future, a collaboration with Psykoslav from Slovenia could also happen.Parallel to this, there are excellent collaborations and fantastic festivals featuring artists from all over the Balkans. The more collaborations, the greater the chances for gigs and guest appearances.

What is the rap scene like in Kočani? Are there young talents we should look out for?

All the active artists from Kočani haven’t lived there for a long time but still make music that leaves a mark on the Kočani rap scene, regardless of their physical absence.We have a Facebook group with Vlax, Fundament, Duhot, and Bomber, and that’s how we keep the scene alive...virtually. 🙂There are young talents I’ve heard freestyling, but I’m not aware of anyone stepping into a studio or having something in the pipeline.If anyone is gathering the courage to start, I encourage them and am here for any help or connections they might need.

Younger rappers and musicians seem more deliberate in how they operate—the cover of Budен Сонувам was done by FLIM (Ivan Petrushevski), your music is distributed on all streaming platforms, and it feels like there’s a lot of attention given to public presentation. Has internet exposure contributed to this? Judging by your lyrics, though, I sense some bitterness or critique of the older generation of rappers. Am I misinterpreting this? What are the differences, if any?

Thank you for noticing. It means a lot that someone recognizes the enthusiasm of young people and their desire to present their work as best as possible. Surely, the internet plays a huge role in this. It’s easier to distribute but harder to stand out in the sea of content.The older generation of hip-hop artists is the one I grew up with, who taught and motivated me. Many of them supported me from my first demo and still do to this day.I don’t agree with the idea of them being “hardcore.” Emotions are the most hardcore thing people can show. I think the younger generation is braver here, being more honest and often presenting themselves vulnerably without playing ego games or fighting imaginary windmills.Regarding my bitterness—I think you’re alluding to the song “Arsen”—it’s just a sportsmanlike nod to a certain critical mass. Initially, they’re pleased with your success, only to later resent it. It’s an isolated case, local, and not a generational war.

On the last album Arsen, Tibor from Croatia was a guest, and at the promotion, alongside Tibor, WLD from Sofia was also present. Where do we stand in the Balkan context? Is there still a hierarchy like before, or are things now more equal?

Each Balkan country has its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to hip-hop. I’ve never viewed it with any hierarchy or subordination, but unfortunately, some countries, due to language barriers, can’t position themselves the same way others do. Nevertheless, collaborations have existed for a long time and still do.In just a few days here, Tibor managed to record about five songs and build a much bigger network. He even recorded with WLD, which might be the first Croatian-Bulgarian rap collaboration.I’ve already recorded with WLD and Tibor. Last weekend, we were in Sofia with the Toksikolosi, recording a track with Sekta. In the future, collaborations with artists like Saikoslav from Slovenia are inevitable.Simultaneously, there are amazing collaborations and great festivals featuring artists from all Balkan countries. The more collaborations there are, the greater the chances for performances and guest appearances.

What’s the rap scene like in Kočani? Are there any young talents we can expect to emerge?

All active artists from Kočani have been living elsewhere for a while, but they continue to create music that leaves a mark on Kočani rap, regardless of their physical absence. We maintain a Facebook group with Vlax, Fundament, Duhot, and Bomber to keep the scene alive…virtually. 😊There are young talents I’ve heard freestyle, but I’m not yet aware of any youngsters who’ve stepped into the studio or have upcoming projects.If anyone is shyly gathering the courage to start, I encourage them and am here to offer any help or connections they may need.

The younger generation of rappers and musicians seems more deliberate in their approach—you’ve got the Budan Sonuvam cover designed by FLIM (Ivan Petrushevski), your music is distributed across all streaming platforms, and it seems a lot of attention is paid to how you present yourselves in the public eye. Probably, the exposure to the internet has contributed to this. But judging by your lyrics, I get the sense of bitterness and criticism of the older generation of rappers—those who came before and are perhaps more hard-core. Am I misinterpreting? Are these the only differences, if any?

First, thank you for noticing this. It means a lot that someone recognizes the enthusiasm of the youth and their desire to deliver the best possible product. The internet indeed plays a huge role in this. It’s easier to distribute music, but harder to get noticed amidst the sea of all kinds of content.The older generation of hip-hop artists is the generation I grew up with, who taught and motivated me. Many of them supported me from my very first demo recording and continue to do so to this day.I don’t agree about their “hard-core” nature. I think emotions are the hardest-core thing people can show. In this sense, I think the new generation is braver because they are more sincere and often present themselves vulnerably, without playing ego games or fighting imaginary windmills.Regarding my supposed bitterness—if you’re referring to the song Arsen, it’s just a sporting salute to a specific critical mass. At first, they’re pleased, but later, they become envious of someone else’s success. This is an isolated, local case and not some generational war.

Given your reputation for strong lyrical texts, do you have ambitions to write outside of rap? Poetry, prose, or something else?

Thanks to university, especially the Creative Writing course, I became acquainted with many techniques and forms of expression. Even before that, I wrote short prose and essays for various competitions, have a few published poems, and the children’s fairy tale Oceania, which we staged this summer with Art-Mania. That allowed me to engage in dramaturgy for the first time. The process left a strong impression on me, and if I ever take a break from rap, I’ll probably write plays.

Why did you choose the title Arsen? You’ve explained it before—but clarify the triple entendre for those who may not know.

Arsen was named in honor of Arsen Dedić because all the instrumentals are samples of his songs. The beauty lies in the meaning of his name, which allowed us to delve deeper into the symbolism of poison, medicine, death, and life. That’s why the eponymous song on the album ends with the lyrics: The difference between poison and medicine is the dose.I also embedded more symbolism into the song, tying it to Arsène Wenger and Arsène Lupin.

I must say, for me, Arsen Dedić was part of the old school, requiring some education to truly understand. What does he mean to you? Are we perhaps circling back to poetry?

I first discovered Arsen Dedić through the Platinum Edition series on YouTube and became obsessed. Then I managed to make others obsessed too. Sometimes I even avoid playing his songs because I know I could get stuck listening to only him for weeks.Arsen Dedić was a master of words, but his musical background, knowledge, arrangements, approach, and playfulness place him, in my opinion, above other singer-songwriters in the Balkans.I was lucky that Fundament was also deeply into his work, so the whole album happened very naturally and with a lot of love. At the moment, we have enough samples for at least two more Arsen albums.

Fundament (Filip Prokopenko) lives in Canada. What’s the dynamic like when working with someone long-distance?

I’ve known Fundament for many years, and I met him in person for the first time this year. Our relationship is trained to function long-distance. Technology allows us to work this way—agreements are made through voice messages, video calls, and WeTransfer links.It’s not the same as spending hours together in a studio, but it works. Time zone differences can be challenging, though, as the best time for both of us was often when it was already midnight here. For months, we’d alternate between showing up to work with dark circles under our eyes, but we survived! 😊

What do you listen to outside of rap? Have you ever thought of experimenting with other genres?

I follow a few favorite YouTube channels that often feature great music from all over the world. I highly recommend Terminal Passage. I usually listen to instrumental music like Clutchy Hopkins, Janko Nilović, Shawn Lee, Moondog, and so on. I’m a sucker for music from the Balkans, Japan, and Brazil. I often indulge in surf rock, surf punk, post-punk, trip-hop, world music, doom, and stoner metal. I’ve tried freestyling over post-punk instrumentals, and it sounds unexpected and interesting. I’ll keep that door open for the future.

I get the feeling that as people start listening to the album, they encounter something special, reacting with a kind of euphoria akin to falling in love. What do you hope for? What’s your boldest wish for Arsen? Where do you want it to take you—and us as an audience?

Since you’ve given me permission to dream: I’d love to perform the entire album with a philharmonic orchestra, release it on vinyl, and host another promotion with Fundament and everyone who couldn’t be there physically. I want Arsen to take the audience to wherever they feel happiest. Secretly, I hope that place isn’t their comfort zone, as even I don’t know what the next project will sound like. neverAmore! was very dark, Budan Sonuvam was bright, and I experience Arsen as 50-50.I hope everyone listening and everyone involved gets the flowers they deserve. Every day, I receive messages filled with joyful tears, proving that the emotion was conveyed and reached its destination. That’s my nourishment and oxygen in my tank...just like this interview. Thank you for that.

Thank you, Martin, and I wish you to dream, imagine, and then sail into those realms - without a visa and without hesitation!

The album "Arsen" by Martix and Fundament is available on all streaming platforms. It can be downloaded for free on Bandcamp, but we still encourage you to support the young vibrant art by leaving a donation according to your means and desire HERE

The conversation with Martix (Martin Miljev) was conducted by Ana Chushkova.