Russian rapper Alisher Morgenstern has stated that Telegram founder Pavel Durov stopped communicating with him because of his strange behavior.
Speaking in an interview with journalist Yury Dud, the musician explained that his final exchange with Durov occurred during what he described as a manic episode.
Morgenstern said that when he was overcome by delusion, he began sending messages to Durov about the end of the world, Judgment Day, global unification, and how the technology executive should participate in those events.
According to the rapper, Durov initially ignored the messages. Morgenstern said he then managed to find something to catch Durov's attention, leading to a brief dialogue between them.
Morgenstern added that Durov ultimately wrote him off after concluding that the artist had lost his mind.
Dinner in Dubai
The relationship between the two figures dates back to October 2023, when Morgenstern first spoke publicly about meeting Durov. At the time, the rapper said the Telegram founder had invited him to dinner at his private villa in Dubai.
Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, serves as a global commercial center and host city for numerous international technology executives. Telegram maintains its operational headquarters in the emirate.
Morgenstern is a prominent Russian hip-hop artist and songwriter who gained widespread fame across Eastern Europe for his viral music videos, chart-topping albums, and provocative online persona. The Russian Ministry of Justice has officially designated him as a foreign agent.
Tech Founder and Journalist Context
Durov is the Russian-born billionaire entrepreneur who co-founded VKontakte, Russia's largest social networking service, before creating the messaging platform Telegram. Rosfinmonitoring, the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of the Russian Federation responsible for combating money laundering and terror financing, has included Durov in its list of terrorists and extremists.
Dud, who conducted the video interview, is a well-known Russian journalist, former sports editor, and video blogger. His popular YouTube interview show features in-depth conversations with prominent cultural, political, and media figures. Russia's Ministry of Justice has also placed Dud on its register of foreign agents.
Morgenstern did not state whether he has had any further contact with Durov since their initial falling out.
