ParaziÃÂii (Romanian for "The Parasites", ) is a Romanian three-man rap and hip hop group founded in 1994. It consists of (CÃÂtÃÂlin ÃÂtefan Ion), (Bogdan IonuÃÂ PÃÂstacÃÂ), and (Petre Urda).
The group was subject to multiple restrictions by the Romanian National Audiovisual Council, due to explicit language. Romanian television and radio stations were fined for playing some of their videos/songs and two videos were banned outright. This motivated their song "Jos cenzura!" ("Down with Censorship!") which criticized the Social Democratic government and was released shortly before the local elections in June 2004; the music video includes a monologue of Larry Flynt criticising Romania's government for its censorship practices.
Ombladon, member of the group, won the Best Romanian Act Award at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2004 with the song "Egali din naÃÂtere" (Born Equal).
In 2003 they established their own label, "20CM Records", providing launch pads for Romanian hip hop artists Spike and Guess Who.
Their first recorded track, "ÃÂn jur" ("Around" â a pun on ÃÂnjur â I cuss), dated 13 September 1994, represented ParaziÃÂii's breakthrough. At the "Nici o problemÃÂ" (No Problem) album release concert, a fight started due to the La Familia-R.A.C.L.A. musical war.
ParaziÃÂii first performed out of Romania in 2000 by participating at the "Summer Hits" festival in ChiÃÂinÃÂu, along with the groups BUG Mafia and Zdob ÃÂi Zdub.
In 2002 and 2003 the group performed in tours in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Due to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the group lost the opportunity to perform in a Canada-US tour. At the Wuppertal Rap-Attack festival (2004) ParaziÃÂii performed before Grandmaster Flash.
ParaziÃÂii were part of the campaigns "Playback" / "Shoot Yourself" (2001), in which they took a position against lip synching, and "Instigare la culturÃÂ" (Instigation To Culture) (2004) against ignorance among Romania's youth.
ParaziÃÂii tracks were featured on movie soundtracks "Nordrand" (Austria), "Visul lui Liviu" (Liviu's Dream), "Milionari de weekend" (Weekend Millionaires) and "Marfa ÃÂi banii" (The Goods and The Money).
Cheloo and Ombladon also released solo albums: