Newsgroup: it.arti.hiphop
Titolo: Italian Hip Hop Billboard Article 8/21/99

 Copyright 1999 Billboard Publications, Inc.
                                   Billboard
                                AUGUST 21, 1999
SECTION: WORDS & DEEDS:  A New Era Revitalizes  Italian Hip-Hop
LENGTH: 882 words
BYLINE: BY ELENA OUMANO
 BODY:
    HIP-HOP ITALIAN  STYLE:  Italy's  current  hip-hop  scene presents a
marked
contrast to its early roots. Just ask Alberto Campo, a music journalist
for La
Republica newspaper and a DJ on radio station RAI's overnight specialty
show
"RAI Stereo Notte."
   Explains Campo, "The pioneering acts were perhaps overcharged with
radical
politics, and the music wasn't always up to scratch. These days the
music and
production are relatively sophisticated, but the lyrical content lacks
conscience. However, hip-hop remains the only real music trend in Italy
at the
moment: It inspires a whole way of life, including fashion, language,
and
                           Billboard, AUGUST 21, 1999
graffiti art."
   Since its politically charged days in the early '90s,  Italian
hip-hop  has
outgrown the Centri Sociali (social centers), autonomous youth clubs
housed in
derelict buildings occupied by squatters. Seminal groups--such as Onda
Rossa
Posse (Red Wave Posse) from Rome and Isola Posse Allstars (Island Posse
Allstars) from Bologna--reflected the era's political turmoil. Some
observers
believe their hard-hitting political lyrics contributed to a public
awareness
that eventually toppled the corrupt Italian government then in power.
   Bologna's now-defunct legendary label Century Vox released many of
the early
hip-hop acts. These included the Isola Posse Allstars, which spawned
another
group, Assalti Frontali (Frontal Assault), now signed to BMG Ricordi.
   Hip-hop artist Neffa is regarded as one of the few artists who's
survived the
transition from rough-cut hip-hop to the smoother West Coast style
exemplified
by Snoop Dogg, all the while keeping his lyrical credibility intact. A
former
member of both Isola and Assalti, Neffa recorded his first solo album in
1996.
That disc, "I Messaggeri Della Dopa" (The Dope Messengers) on
Blackout/Mercury,
sold 70,000 copies, according to the label, thanks largely to strong
airplay for
the catchy summer hit single "Aspettando Il Sole" (Waiting For The Sun).
                           Billboard, AUGUST 21, 1999
   Neffa says  Italian rap  falls into two phases. "Like in the U.S.,
there was
the old school in the early '80s," he says. "Here it consisted of
rappers like
DJ Gruff and Chico Mdee, who rap in English. At the end of the '80s, the
 Italian -language  hip-hop  scene then emerged from the Centri Sociali.
   "Now there's a small number of underground artists [as well as] the
more
mainstream acts who get airplay and reach a wider public," Neffa
continues. "I'm
between the two, keeping the hip-hop roots but with a certain emotion
and
vibration."
   Neffa adds that the latest U.S. influence to make waves in Italy is
the
growing role of DJs and dancers. "For a while it was mainly MCs here,"
he says.
"But now DJs and dancers are being emphasized more. The main DJ posse is
Alien
Army with five or six DJs, including DJ Gruff, DJ Skyzo, and Taione."
   According to Luca Fantaconi, manager of Mercury Italy's alternative
imprint
Blackout Records, a hip-hop artist's popularity is very transient and
depends on
scoring crossover commercial singles. However, despite good airplay for
the lead
single from Neffa's second album, "107 Elementi" (107 Elements)--a
version of
the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why" titled "Non Tradire Mai" (Don't Ever
Betray)--it's been difficult for the label to push sales to 50,000
copies. Notes
Fantaconi, "Public support of hip-hop artists is quite fickle, so
getting good
                           Billboard, AUGUST 21, 1999
airplay has become fundamental."
   Bands like WEA Italy's Sottotono and Ricordi/BMG Ricordi's Articolo
31 have
gained multi-platinum album sales on the strength of radio-friendly
singles. A
single celebrating marijuana's virtues, "Maria, Maria" by Articolo 31,
was an
airplay breakthrough for the band and the genre in general. At the same
time,
Jovanotti on Soleluna/PolyGram was transitioning from a light-weight
hip-hop
artist to one with street credibility and fans in continental Europe.
   Despite the fickleness, new  hip-hop  signings are proliferating.
Virgin
 Italy's  Colle Der Fomento and Naples-based La Famiglia--signed to the
local
Best Sounds label--are joining other established acts, such as the
verbally
dexterous Frankie Hi-Nrg and Italy's only female mike-rocker, La Pina.
One of
the most eagerly anticipated albums is Assalti Frontali's next set, due
this
summer and produced by Rome-based Ice One, who also produced Colle Der
Fomento's
hit debut set,"Scienza Doppio H" (Double H Science).
   WEA Italy has young U.K. soul diva Shola Ama guesting on "Mai Piu"
(Never
Again), the second radio single from Sottotono's new album "Sotto Lo
Stesso
Effetto" (Under The Same Effect). According to WEA Italy, the album has
passed
gold status, with 80,000 copies sold.
                           Billboard, AUGUST 21, 1999
   Fermento, Sottotono's MC, says  Italian hip-hop  is heavily
influenced by new
material from New York and the revival of '80s funk. "Our new album is
harder,"
he says. "It respects the real formula of hip-hop: Give a big bang to
those who
want to get up and dance. Our '80s references are the Sugarhill Gang and
Alexander O'Neal, who, apart from hardcore aficionados, are relatively
unknown
here."
   Adds Blackout/Mercury's Fantaconi: "Despite the highly critical
nature and
transient tastes of its fan base, Italy--along with France--has one of
the most
exciting hip-hop scenes outside the U.S."
   Assistance in preparing this column was provided by Mark Dezzani in
Milan.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: August 17, 1999
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Ragazzi secondo me sto sito e' intelligentissimo e spiega bene come si e'
evoluta la scena in italia!

mi ritiro quasi tutto quello che ho detto sono un bel po' disinformati su
ogni singolo gruppo ma sono abbastanza informati sul resto