LEX recently released his new songs, causing a frenzy on social media among his fans. His album titled G.T.K. (G.T.K.) has gone gold, according to an announcement by his record label on Instagram.
LEX—a “musical phenomenon”—has achieved yet another milestone. In a short period, he shattered all records and climbed to the top. The tracks “Nychterides” (Bats), “Alitiki Agapi” (Rogue Love), and “Cheiroteri Genia” (Worst Generation) stand out with over 2.8 million plays each. Overall, the album G.T.K. has surpassed 25.5 million streams on Spotify.
LEX (stage name of Alexis Lanaras) from Thessaloniki made waves right from the release of his fourth personal album, G.K.T. (an anagram of his debut T.G.K. a decade ago, which stands for “Texni gia Kollimenous” (Art for the Stuck-Up), later transformed into “Gia tin Koultoura” (For the Culture)).
“I break records they question / Changing shoes and jumping like Milto,” he raps in “Cognac”. Most people—and especially the media—started paying attention to him after his monumental concert at Panionios Stadium in the summer of 2022. Indeed, over 20,000 young people celebrated him, marking a new chapter in Greek rap history.
Who is LEX?
He avoids interviews, choosing to express himself solely through his lyrics and music. The new generation—and not just them—adore him. Many have called him the “poet” of the angry generation, and they might not be wrong.
Without media support or advertising gimmicks, LEX broke records in Greek music, just as he fills every venue where he performs. His music is not “music for troublemakers,” as some dismissively claimed; it doesn’t incite violence. Instead, he tells his “truth,” which resonates with many.
In the preface of the book “LEX, a Star of Concrete”, he writes that he’s just a rapper and has never been a “poet of the new generation,” as many have labeled him. “I feel poetry carries a greater intellectual rigor than a hip-hop verse. Yes, the lyrics are powerful; yes, they convey meaning, but in rap, delivery and rhythm are crucial. There are many factors. For me, rap is not an ideology—it’s a medium, like writing. Still, I maintain specific aesthetic principles that I won’t compromise.”
Born Alexis Lanaras on September 25, 1984, in Thessaloniki, he grew up in the Faliro neighborhood. He began as a graffiti artist with the group 2G (Good Guys), which transitioned to music in 1999, forming Voreia Asteria (Northern Stars). With Voreia Asteria, they released four albums before disbanding to pursue solo careers. During this time, LEX also created Anapoda Kapela (Upside-Down Hats) with Mikros Klefths, releasing their only album in 2007 titled “De mas Xes Kala” (You Don’t Know Us Well). Three years later, in 2010, his solo career began.
His first album, “Tapeinoi kai Peinasmenoi” (Humble and Hungry), was released in 2014. At that time, during Greece’s deep economic crisis, his songs addressed social inequalities, marginalization, and deviant behaviors with a denunciatory tone. His style evolved further with “2XXX” and reached its peak with “METRO” in 2022. His success was not overnight; he had been laying the groundwork for years.
LEX doesn’t speak about others’ lives. He draws from his own experiences in the working-class neighborhoods of wage earners, blending them with petty crime, dreams, misery, and violence. This life isn’t a distant narrative—it’s right next door if one cares to look.
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Source: skai.gr
