"VORTEX" FESTIVAL PROVES THAT GRADIŠKA HAS A STRONG AUDIENCE FOR URBAN MUSIC

The “Vortex” festival was held in Gradiška over the weekend, bringing together numerous fans of rap and hip-hop culture and once again proving that urban music has a dedicated audience in the city on the Sava River.

PHOTO: Vortex Gradiška

The atmosphere was brought to a climax by popular Belgrade artists Paja Kratak and Bigru, who entertained the audience with a series of well-known underground rap hits. Cunami Flo added a special energy to the evening with performances of some of his biggest and most-streamed songs.

Following their performances, the artists expressed their enthusiasm about the turnout and the energy of the audience. They also praised the organization of the festival, saying that “Vortex” had done an excellent job and that the energy of young people in Gradiška was the best evidence that the local rap and hip-hop scene remains very much alive.

Cunami Flo said he was pleased that Gradiška had gained a festival such as “Vortex” and that hip-hop was popular among a large number of young people, as demonstrated by the crowd gathered at the Summer Stage of the Museum of Gradiška.

Paja Kratak, whose real name is Pavle Janković, said that the Gradiška audience showed great energy and proved that underground rap has a loyal following, including among younger generations.

One of the highlights was the appearance of Gradiška resident Sergej Kurelj, who joined the Belgrade rappers on stage to perform the song “Rap za malu decu”.

Festival organizer Igor Majkić said that young people’s interest in the event exceeded his expectations, describing the turnout as further proof that alternative music is becoming increasingly popular.

He also pointed out that residents of Gradiška had the opportunity to experience different segments of the regional music scene, with performances representing Banja Luka through DJ Mladen Tomić, Belgrade through Paja Kratak and Bigru, and Sarajevo through Cunami Flo.

The first edition of the urban music festival was held as part of “Gradiško ljeto na Savi 2026”, with the support of the City of Gradiška.