A video showing Uzbekistan's Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov singing at a wedding ceremony has sparked widespread discussions on social media. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The video shows guests at the event presenting the artist with money – banknotes of 100,000 and 200,000 soms as well as US dollars during his performance. This situation has provoked various opinions among social media users.
Some accepted it as part of the people's tradition, a sign of respect and gratitude towards the artist. Others, however, considered the minister's behavior inappropriate given his status as a government official.
Ozodbek Nazarbekov was born on May 7, 1974, in Shahrixon district of Andijan region. He is a People's Artist of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan, a recipient of the "El-yurt hurmati" order, a well-known singer, composer, and public figure.
Nazarbekov began his creative career in the 1990s and became one of the famous representatives of Uzbek pop music. His work is widely recognized among the people, with popular songs such as "Jondan aziz," "Qadamlar hikmati," and "Mushtarak manzil."
He has collaborated with many artists and participated in major creative projects. In 2018, he was appointed as the first deputy minister of culture.
In December 2020, he was appointed as the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Additionally, he leads the Uzbek National Institute of Music Arts named after Yunus Rajabi.
Nazarbekov has previously sparked discussions on social media. In 2024, he attracted attention by appearing in a clothing store advertisement, and in August 2023, he participated in a promotional video for a private university.
