Prinz Pi

Friedrich Kautz, known professionally as Prinz Pi, ranks among the foremost figures in German rap. Born October 23, 1979, in Berlin-Charlottenberg, he attended school in Steglitz and mastered Greek along with Latin prior to shifting his focus toward hip-hop. His lyrics addressed present-day social and political concerns, conspiracy theories, and the widening economic gap separating rich from poor. Recording initially under the alias Prinz Porno, with additional credits as Doc Murdock, Doc Mabuse, and Slick Spingo, Kautz first appeared on the 1998 compilation Berlin Nr. 1 Vol. 1. That same year he pressed a limited set of tracks titled Porno Privat for friends; the material later circulated online. His debut official album, Radiumreaktion, arrived in 2001 and helped build a devoted cult audience that grew stronger with the 2005 releases Teenage Mutant Horror Show and Zeit Ist Geld. After repeated confusion of his work with adult material, Kautz adopted the name Prinz Pi. The 2006 album Donnerwetter! marked his commercial breakthrough and secured his initial placement on the German album charts. Further momentum arrived with Neopunk in 2008. Rebell Ohne Grund, released in 2011, reached number nine and became his first Top Ten entry. Three straight chart-topping albums followed, beginning with Kompass Ohne Norden in 2013, then PP=MC2 in 2015 and Im Western nix Neues in 2016.