EastBam

Latvian Old School Hip Hopper and one of the very first TJs ("Tape Jockey" = scratching with a tape recorder called "MARK" out of a lack of Western vinyl records in the USSR) who made it to play in the Western hemisphere way back in 1989. In that particular year his friend Indulis Bilzens of "Bräunungsstudio Malaria" presented Western-styled underground videos in a club in Riga including one in which Westbam says "My name is Westfalia Bambaataa and I scratch with records". Robert immediately said "My name is Rigafalia Bambaataa and I scratch with tapes" and his alias "EastBam" was born. Same year he appeared as rapper on the track "Go Eastbam" which appeared on Westbam's album "The Cabinet" and shortly after his 1st own 12" "AKA AKA" appeared on Low Spirit Records from Berlin. Nowadays Gobziņš is still working as a DJ and rapper in the underrated Baltic scene and appeared on the track and video "Aka Hip Aka Hop" by Latvian Hip Hop Star and producer "Gustavo" in the early 2Ks (the video even shows old snippets from German TV in which EastBam appears).