June 10, 2025

Sanctions after the Bra Storm?


Sanctions after the Bra Storm?
American rapper Tyga performing. Frank Schwichtenberg, Wikimedia Commons.

Russia's arenas have been devoid of American and Western artists since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched in 2022. Despite sanctions and boycotts, U.S. rapper Tyga returned to a Moscow stage as "bras were flying in the air."

In February 2022, after the Kremlin began its assault on Kiev, touring giants such as Live Nation pulled out of Russia, and concerts were cancelled. Russians have travelled abroad to see Western artists' concerts. But this time, they got a taste of American music at home.

On May 31, Tyga, whose legal name is Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson, and who is Kylie Jenner's ex-boyfriend, performed at the Russian capital's CSKA Arena. The Bashkir band AY YOLA and rappers Jakone and Macan opened for the California artist. Tyga failed to fill the venue's capacity of 14,000. 

Tyga sung his old hits and newer songs. The publication Lenta said concert attendees spanned "from youth to those who already have grandchildren." Bras flew towards the performer and he "happily twirled [them as] trophies" from the 360 degree stage. Tyga said, "I appreciate Russia, everyone has shown me a lot of love here."

After his private jet landed in Vnukovo Airport, the rapper refused to talk to reporters, claiming he did not have enough strength. However, insiders told the press that Tyga immediately had dinner at the upscale Radisson Hotel. Soon after, he headed to the strip club Secret Room on Rochdelskaya Street. Other club patrons were forbidden from recording the rapper during his visit.

Tyga said he is not afraid of U.S. sanctions after his visit to Russia. The US government has so far not commented on the rapper's visit to Moscow.

You Might Also Like

Artists in Custody
  • March 25, 2025

Artists in Custody

Russia currently has 42 "cultural" figures who are political prisoners and another 176 on their way to becoming the same.
The Music of War
  • October 30, 2024

The Music of War

Russian military ensembles glorify war and profit from it.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955