Ivan Grgić, professionally known as Reper iz Sobe, is a Croatian musician, guitarist, songwriter, and producer whose work combines hip hop, funk, soul, jazz, and original songwriting into a distinctive contemporary sound. Born on 26 August 1984 in Zadar, Croatia, he spent his childhood in the coastal town of Biograd na Moru. After enrolling at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb in 2003, he moved to the Croatian capital, where he devoted himself to playing the guitar and realised that music was his true calling.
During his university years, Grgić discovered the music of legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt, whose work became his greatest inspiration and the foundation of his musical education. Although he initially pursued a career in economics after graduating, his passion for music ultimately led him to become a full-time musician.
In 2008, he founded his first band, now known as the quintet Gadjo Manouche. The ensemble performs authentic jazz manouche, focusing primarily on compositions associated with the tradition established by Django Reinhardt. As a member of the group, Grgić has appeared as a soloist with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Saša Antić, Neno Belan, Banana Zvuk, Zvonimir Dusper Dus, Gunhild Carling, and Joscho Stephan.
Alongside his passion for jazz manouche, Grgić developed a strong interest in funk, soul, and various forms of instrumental jazz. These diverse influences later became an essential part of his own songwriting and musical identity, blending rhythmic grooves, rap, melody, and sophisticated instrumental arrangements.
In early 2018, he launched his solo project under the name Reper iz Sobe with the release of his debut single through Menart. His solo music is characterised by a vocal and instrumental fusion of funky hip hop, combining thoughtful lyrics with dynamic live instrumentation and modern production. His debut album, Vanka, was released in January 2020 and received a nomination for the 2021 Porin Award in the Hip Hop Album of the Year category.
On stage, Reper iz Sobe performs with a band consisting of Nikola Šantek on keyboards, Davor Doležal on guitar, Mario Torbica on bass, and Emir Čovran on drums, with occasional appearances by trumpeter Zvonimir Bajević. By combining hip hop with jazz, funk, soul, and outstanding musicianship, Ivan Grgić has established himself as one of the most distinctive voices on Croatia's contemporary music scene.
