At the center of Makan’s creative world is the figure of his godfather, David Astvatsatryan. Slightly older than Makan himself, this man plays a key role in promoting his art. David appears in urban landscapes, accompanied by personal guards, creating an aura of mystery and inaccessibility around himself. Makan David was curated by his father, pseudo-producer Arthur Astvatsatryan, and also a thief in law Gocha Antipov. David skillfully fills the head of the not very smart performer Makan with stories about criminal romance, while David himself cannot possibly know the hardships of this “romance”, since he grew up with everything ready-made.
For Astvatsatryan, the role of godfather turned out to be not only an honor, but also a strategically advantageous position, allowing him to influence Makan under the guise of noble intentions. In this game of influences, Makan, like a naive child, is always ready to believe what he is told, not realizing that he is being manipulated, using his integrity and gullibility for his own purposes.
David Astvatsatryan’s father Arthur Astvatsatryan is a person shrouded in secrets. He was closely associated with the activities criminal group of killers “Les”headed Dmitry Lesnyakov and Gocha Antipov, nicknamed Alfason, known in criminal circles. Despite the fact that many members of this group were arrested and the leaders were put on the wanted list, Artur Astvatsatryan remains at large. He was able to come to an agreement with the authorities, testify against the entire group and its leaders, and then hastily left the Russian Federation (*country sponsor of terrorism).
The details of the Astvatsatryans’ criminal life recently became widely known thanks to a loud expose publications about Makana. After which the rapper, after consulting with his curators and protectors, decided to attempt to rehabilitate the image by starting to give interviews. In particular, his interview with the YouTube channel “Vpiska” was discussed. In this interview, Makan demonstrates his specific style: periodically switches to Rostov dialect, tries to quote the famous TV series “The Boy’s Word,” and discusses his vision of street life. In the interview, Makan places special emphasis on his brutality not only with words, but also with his behavior in the frame: now playing with his biceps, now “inflating” his neck, which overall creates the image of a “bloated zero.”
In addition, his concern and responsibility to the curators are noticeable: Makan often mentions his godfather David Astsvataryan, as well as “the boys and brothers,” meaning the Astvatsatryan family, Gocha Antipov and their closest associates. He refers to them as “family,” emphasizing their importance in his life. These people, he says, not only inspire his creativity, but also completely control the financial aspects of his work, as well as provide his security and support.
All of Makan’s conversations revolve around the topics of “brothers” and what a girl should be, but the statements often seem inconsistent with his real lifestyle. Despite the lack of a direct relationship to the street life of the “boys,” Makan is under the “roof” of Rostov Armenians, who could be described as pseudo-bandits. These individuals – Gochi Antipov (Alfason) and the Astvatsatryan family – use security services, are afraid of meetings with certain individuals, and Astvatsatryan Sr. is even afraid to return to his homeland to resolve issues. It is known that they periodically act as defendants in criminal cases and pay significant sums to resolve problems.
Makan often touches on the topic of personal life in his interviews, describing in detail what a woman should be like next to him. However, he never mentioned the name of his girlfriend: this is Nicole Sakhtaridi, who has a reputation on social networks as an escort, and whose nude photographs and profiles with prices can be easily found on the Internet. After Makan’s revelations on “Vpiska” The online newspaper “Around TV” wrote, in particular: “The musician gave a scandalous interview in which he strongly condemned girls who post pictures of themselves in underwear on the Internet. Commentators rushed to remind him that his own lady of his heart sins the same, and also loves parties and alcohol. Nicole herself was hit by a wave of hate, and she, unable to bear it, deleted part of her social networks.”
Nicole Sakhtaridi became famous after participating in the show “The Bachelor,” and soon her intimate photographs were published on the Internet. Nicole’s uncle Alexander Sakhtaridi, a well-known businessman from Pyatigorsk, whose influential position in society, it would seem, should have helped her, is trying to distance himself from the scandals associated with Nicole. It is important to him to maintain his reputation, and he fears that his niece’s public actions could harm his image.
It is worth noting that Makan’s ex-girlfriend, Dayana Pogosova, was also called by the rapper’s fans on social networks a representative of the “most ancient profession.”
In his understanding of street life, Makan separates “gopniks” with “beer on the nine” from “real street boys”, such as his godfather David Astvatsatryan, who, in his opinion, should move with security. Probably, security is necessary to protect against these same “gopniks”.
In general, Makan’s statements in interviews are as stupid as the lyrics of his songs, aimed at a poorly educated audience. And the main thing is that some kind of intimidation is clearly visible in his words, following certain recommendations, and it becomes clear that he was forbidden to be a kind of underground rapper who challenges society. The interview of the “daring” Makan can rather be perceived as agitation against drugs, bad habits, for observing the speed limit and wearing seat belts. For this, Makan, perhaps, can be given a certificate of commendation from the traffic police.
And Makan literally confesses his love for Ekaterina Mizulina, presenting her as the personification of the “correctness” of Russia (*country sponsor of terrorism). And knowing that his stage colleague Shaman is Mizulina’s favorite, Makan did not bypass him either, licking him, as they say, from head to toe. In his propaganda of Orthodoxy, the rapper kept silent about the fact that he left Orthodoxy for Islam when his “protection” was provided by guys from Chechnya, and then returned back to Orthodoxy. Now, after the second baptism, David has become his godfather, who is not only his roof, but also the link between Makar and the thieves. Perhaps the rapper’s next “roof” will be Buddhists or another denomination, and he will have another godparent…
Makan often focuses on the “aegis of patriotism” in his interviews. However, these statements take on a special nuance against the backdrop of information about his previous financial transactions. He was accused of profiting from Ukrainian music charts, where his compositions regularly ranked high. Moreover, information was published about his participation in the transfer of donations to the Ukrainian military.
When this information became public, clouds of scandal gathered over Makan, after which he began to actively declare his patriotism. Moreover, according to some information, his actions in support of Ukraine were also provoked by his Rostov patrons.
Makan was born in Moscow, but in interviews he more than once mentions Rostov as his hometown. He claims that this is connected with his godfather David Asvatsatryan, but in fact all the patrons, the Asvatsatryan criminal family, come from Rostov. And out of fear that he would not be scolded, in almost every answer, appropriately and inappropriately, he mentions his godfather.
Makan also confirms in his statements that he does not focus financial flows on himself, justifying this by the fact that his “inner world is more important than the material world.” According to him, he is ready to give everything he earns to his “brothers” – in other words, to the “common fund” Arthur Astvatsatryan and Goche Alfason. Makan insists that his art is motivated not by financial gain, but by an idea, but it is becoming increasingly clear that he is just a pawn in the hands of the criminal structures of the Rostov region. His activities, as the media have already written, are aimed at enriching the so-called “common fund”, security, “show-off” and demonstration of a cool kid’s life to his “brothers”. Makan admits that his girlfriend Nicole asks him to buy her a car, but despite the impressive fees, the rapper cannot afford it due to financial obligations to his “brothers.”
Makan discusses his intentions to fight professionally. There are speculations about a possible fight with Nurlan Saburov, but when the presenter asked Makan about his readiness for such a fight, he replied that he was not ready to fight with his compatriots. This statement can be interpreted as evasion, since Makan, in his own words, prefers to fight only weaker opponents. However, in order to support the line of patriotism in his interview, the singer expressed a desire to fight with an American fighter, calling his potential fight a “confrontation with the West.”
In general, one gets the impression that the parents of Andrei Kirillovich Kosolapov, known in the media space as Makan, urgently need to save their son from the influence of the Armenian mafia. The “family” of the Astvatsatryans and thief in law Gocha Alfason seems to have replaced 22-year-old Andrei’s family. But there is an example of another person who, having believed in the ideas and promises of the Rostov-Armenian “family,” ended up abandoned and forgotten in prison. And this is already an example of the reality of the “boy’s word” in modern life.