Prinz Pi (46) is calling it quits. The Berlin rapper had already announced his farewell tour for fall 2026, but now he has declared that he no longer wants to release any music at all. He would love to "do ten more tours and ten more albums, but unfortunately that's not working out," he explained in a video on his Instagram channel.

He blames the conditions of the industry in the streaming era, in which it is no longer possible to make money directly from selling albums and singles. The music world has "changed extremely," according to Prinz Pi. Moreover, his songs no longer fit "the zeitgeist" and he cannot adapt either.

"I've been very, very sad in recent years"

The end of his decades-long career is not easy for him, the musician emphasized: "I've been very, very sad in recent years, because of course it's not nice for any musician to have to end his career." He deliberately remained silent about his doubts instead of addressing them publicly. "I expressed my sadness for a long time in my music and now I'm here with mixed emotions," explained Friedrich Kautz, as the rapper is known by his civil name, thanking colleagues, staff and especially his fans for their appreciation over the years.

He is very much looking forward to his upcoming tour, during which he wants to journey through his "entire discography." In August 2025, Kautz announced that his Germany tour, postponed by one year to this fall, would be his last live performances. "That doesn't mean, of course, that I won't make any more music at all. It just means that this will be the last, perhaps the most beautiful tour," he emphasized on Instagram at the time.

From Prinz Porno to the top of the charts

Friedrich Kautz was born in West Berlin in 1979 and made a name for himself in the late 90s under the name Prinz Porno in the city's rap and graffiti scene. From 2002 to 2004, he was signed to the famous underground label Royal Bunker. In 2005, Prinz Porno became Prinz Pi, and his lyrics began to focus more strongly on social issues.

A year later, he landed in the German album charts for the first time with "!DonnerwetteR!". The big breakthrough under his own label Keine Liebe Records came for Prinz Pi in 2013 with "Kompass ohne Norden," which reached the top of the charts and went gold. In total, he released 19 studio albums, eight of which landed in the top ten. His album "West Berlin," released last year, reached number eleven and is likely to remain his last.

His new life in the workshop

That music has long since ceased to be the center of Prinz Pi's life had become apparent. He has been working as a DIY enthusiast for some time, completely renovating his house on his own and building furniture himself. Kautz shows his projects on social media. His interests have shifted since he has been living with his wife and three children in Kleinmachnow, Brandenburg, he told the "Tagesspiegel" a year ago. Music is no longer his focus there. "I want to show people: Anyone can do this. Above all, I want my daughter not to grow up believing that craftsmanship is only for men," he described his motivation. While live shows are a lot of fun for him, they are not financially viable.