Rytmus: It's narrow-minded to be upset by my photos with the Gypsies

Slovak recording artists Patrik "Rytmus" Vrbovský and Dara Rolins are featured on the cover of the August issue of the Czech edition of ELLE. Their controversial photo shoot in a Romani settlement has prompted a wide range of responses.  

The couple decided to answer the negative responses through their official online profiles. Patrik "Rytmus" Vrbovský was also willing to respond to four questions from news server Romea.cz:

Q:  The photos of you and Dara Rolins were taken in a Romani settlement near Velká Lomnice in Slovakia. The contrast between the impoverished inhabitants and the two of you was obvious, and many people are reproaching you for doing this, saying it’s unethical. What led you to agree to the idea of photographing luxury clothing in a Romani settlement?

A:  I am a person who makes his living through music, performing onstage, photo shoots and video. I collaborate with various creative directors, film directors, and photographers. That means we create imaginative visuals in the form of photographs or video clips, from the first dream and idea through to their realization. It’s just like when someone goes to see a film in the cinema and is mesmerized by how and where it was made. I, as the performer, don’t deal with what the script is like. I don’t deal with what the lighting will be, what the story will be, or what the location will be. For me what is important is the team of people and that the work will be 100 % professional. I can’t imagine going to the movies and being outraged about where a film was made, or thinking about what led the actors and the director to use this or that contrast. To get upset, after 10 years of my active career in show business, over the fact that Rytmus is being photographed with the Gypsies, is narrow-minded. These photos are enjoying a big success.    

Q:  How did you feel about the photo shoot and your visit to the settlement in general?

A:  I’ve been to that settlement about 30 times, and I’ve been photographed or shot a video there about 10 times. I went there without prejudice, like always, I’ve never experienced it any other way. You know, when people say the phrase "gypsy ghetto", the majority pays attention. The difference between them and me is that the phrase "gypsy ghetto" doesn’t matter to me at all. I just went somewhere to be photographed for the thousandth time – I arrived with a smile on my face, and I left with a smile on my face.  

Q:  In addition to outraged responses, the photographs prompted a wave of hateful, racist commentaries, and you and Dara decided to respond to them through your Facebook pages. What is your perception of racism in the Czech Republic and Slovakia? Many claim it doesn’t exist. 

A:  I see it, but I’m not actively fighting against it. From time to time I point it out. "Many claim it doesn’t exist" – it’s mostly the whites who claim that.

Q:  In an interview for our magazine, Romano voďi, in 2009, you said there were times when you were ashamed of your Romani origin. Today you are proud that you are Romani on your father’s side. What about Romani culture (language, tradition) do you consider to be a big plus in your life?

A:  The music, absolutely.