Study: Romanian underground rap reinterprets and legitimizes themes associated with the far right, such as nationalism, Orthodox mysticism, the cult of martyrs, and the memory of the Legionary Movement

A study awarded in 2026 analyzes how Romanian underground rap reinterprets and legitimizes themes associated with the far right, such as nationalism, Orthodox mysticism, the cult of martyrs, and the memory of the Legionary Movement.

The research, conducted by history teacher Lavinia Georgiana Marcu and recognized by the Rațiu Center for Democracy with the “Christopher Coker” award, began with an examination of approximately 500 songs. Of these, 110 were selected for explicit references to Corneliu Zelea Codreanu, former members of the Legionary Movement, the “Saints of the Prisons,” and communist repression.

The author argues that artists such as Cedry2k, Dragonu AKA 47, Tudor Sișu, and Underman combine nationalism, Orthodoxy, and anti-communism in their lyrics with the glorification of Legionary figures, presented as martyrs, while their responsibility for interwar violence is downplayed. The study also identifies conspiratorial, antisemitic, homophobic, and anti-Western themes.

The analysis traces continuity between the mobilizing role of song in the Legionary Movement and the revival of these symbols in music after 1990. According to the researcher, the messages subsequently moved beyond the artistic sphere and entered the discourse of politicians associated with the far right.