Filip Tadeusz Szcześniak (born July 29, 1990), better known by the stage name Taco Hemingway (earlier FV), is a Polish rapper, songwriter, and musician.

He began recording in 2011, at which time he released - under the pseudonym Foodvillain - an English-language mixtape entitled Who Killed JFK. A year later, he adopted the pseudonym Taco Hemingway, under which he released the English-language EP Young Hems. In 2014, he released a second EP, this time recorded in Polish, titled Trójkąt warszawski] The album brought the musician publicity, thanks to which he joined the label Asfalt Records, under which he released a re-release of Trójkąt warszawski and a new EP entitled Umowa o dzieło.[4] These, as well as subsequent albums released on the label, made the rapper famous, and he quickly became one of the most popular musicians in Poland.

He has sold over 400,000 albums in Poland, making him one of the best-selling rappers in Poland. Almost every rapper's album can be downloaded for free from his website. The most successful was the joint album with Quebonafide, titled Soma 0.5 mg, which was sold in over 150 thousand copies. Also successful were the albums Szprycer, Marmur and Pocztówka z WWA, lato '19. For the sale of albums he repeatedly received the certificate of platinum, gold and diamond records. He created hits such as "6 zer", "Następna stacja", "Deszcz na betonie", "Polskie Tango", "Tamagotchi" or "Nostalgia", which all went trending on YouTube with millions of views shortly after release.

He has been nominated for the Fryderyk Awards thirteen times between 2016 and 2020, including four times as a winner in the hip-hop Album of the Year category (for the albums Umowa o dzieło, Szprycer, Soma 0,5 mg, Pocztówka z WWA), including being the only artist to win the award three times in a row and being the only rapper nominated and awarded in the Song of the Year category.[7] He was also nominated for the MTV Europe Music Awards in the Best Polish Artist category and Empik's Bestsellers in the Polish Music, Hip-Hop Music and Streaming categories. However, the musician does not pay much attention to the awards, and he did not collect any of them.

He was ranked 10th on the list of Most Influential Poles 2019 by Wprost.[11] He is the first Polish artist whose songs have been played over a billion times on the streaming platform Spotify. Despite his immense popularity, the rapper does not spend much time in the media, rarely giving interviews and not appearing in advertisements.


Filip Szcześniak was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1990. At the age of 2, he moved with his parents from Egypt to Guangzhou, China. Initially, he attended an English preschool before transferring to a Chinese preschool, where he experienced communication problems due to differences in culture and language. Upon finishing preschool, Szcześniak and his family moved to Warsaw in 1996,[16] where he experienced little to no difficulties in school while simultaneously developing his bilingualism from his early years. In an interview with Metro Warszawa, Szcześniak stated that he spoke English with his mother and sister and that he spoke in Polish with his father.[ He listened to various rap artists with his father, developing his passion for the rap genre. His parents divorced in 2004.

Szcześniak completed his studies at Prywatne Gimnazjum nr 1 and Copernicus Bilingual High School in Warsaw, where he met his future producer, Maciej Ruszecki. He is also a graduate of cultural studies at the University of Warsaw. In 2012, he began studying for a master's degree in anthropology in University College London.



While studying in London, Taco Hemingway, using the alias Foodvillain, wrote lyrics for his mixtape "Who Killed JFK" and posted his first songs on YouTube. Initially unsuccessful in his music career, he rapped in English over MF DOOM beats in his friend's basement, referencing artists like Childish Gambino and Jay-Z. His early projects didn't gain much publicity. On December 26, 2013, he released his English-language EP "Young Hems" on Bandcamp, recorded in his mother’s basement in Brussels. Despite his efforts, the EP did not receive much attention.

Transitioning from a job in advertising to being an English translator, Taco released his second EP, "Trójkąt warszawski," on December 19, 2014, available for free streaming and download. This release marked his first concert in Warsaw’s Cafe Kulturalna. "Trójkąt warszawski" received airplay on radio Trójka, enhancing his visibility. His third EP, "Umowa o dzieło," came out on June 27, 2015, and was distributed for free digitally. The single "6 zeros" from this album became his first major hit, significantly boosting his popularity in Poland.

After sending his recordings to various labels, Taco caught the attention of Marcin "Tytus" Grabski of Asfalt Records and signed a publishing contract. Reissues of "Trójkąt warszawski" and "Umowa o dzieło" on August 19, 2015, reached the top of the Polish charts, both selling over 10,000 copies on release day. The success continued with the gold status of "Umowa o dzieło" and the chart-topping single "Następna stacja." He embarked on his first concert tour, Następna Stacja Tour, and performed at the Open'er Festival.

In 2016, Taco won the Fryderyk Award for Album of the Year Hip-Hop for "Umowa o dzieło." He released the single "Deszcz na betonie," which was a hit on multiple radio stations. His fourth mini-album, "Wosk," was released for free download and received positive reviews despite some criticism. His first studio album, "Marmur," released on November 2, 2016, achieved gold status and was followed by the Marmur Tour.

2017 saw Taco releasing the EP "Szprycer," debuting at number 1 on Polish charts despite mixed reviews. The single "Nostalgia" and the collaboration "Nowy Kolor" with Otsochodzi became significant hits. "Szprycer" earned platinum status by March 2018. Taco's collaboration with Quebonafide, Taconafide, released the successful album "Soma 0.5 mg" in 2018. The album, achieving double platinum status, was the best-selling in Poland for several months and led to a record-breaking tour.

Taco continued his success with the release of his second studio album "Café Belga" and the EP "Flagey" on July 13, 2018, both debuting at number 1 on the Polish charts. "Café Belga" quickly went platinum, and Taco embarked on the Café Belga Tour. The album "Soma 0.5 mg" sold around 100,000 copies by the end of 2018, earning diamond status. Taco received multiple Fryderyk nominations and awards in 2019.

After a hiatus, Taco returned in 2023 with the double single "Gelato" and "Macarena Freestyle," announcing his album "1-800-Oświecenie," which released on September 22, 2023. The album quickly achieved multiple platinum statuses, with all songs reaching top positions on Polish charts. It became the most popular album in Poland for 2023. Taco announced the 1-800-TOUR for 2024, culminating in a historic concert at Warsaw's National Stadium.

Throughout his career, Taco Hemingway has evolved from an underground artist to a mainstream success, consistently breaking records and gaining critical acclaim. His journey reflects his resilience and adaptability in the music industry.