Italian hip hop

Italian hip hop is hip hop music rapped in the Italian language and/or made by Italian musicians.

 History 
1980s
Italian hip hop started in the 1980s. One of the first hip hop crews to become famous in the Italian mainstream was Isola Posse All Star from Bologna.

In the early '80s, hip hop spread to Italy through social centers, where left-wing young people regularly met. Jovanotti was one of the first stars to become famous from this hip hop scene. He rapped in otherwise standard Italian pop music.

In the underground, Radical Stuff published the first Italian hip hop street video called "Let’s Get Dizzy" in 1989. Around the same time, Assalti Frontali, an underground hip hop group, was founded in Rome. They are known for their left-wing politically and socially charged lyrics.

1990s
Articolo 31, a duo made of J-Ax and DJ Jad, emerged during the mid-'90s with their album Strade di città. Their fusion of rap, funk and rock elements made the genre more famous.

2000s
The 2000s marked a shift from the '90s rap scene in Italy. Artists like Articolo 31, Sottotono, Frankie hi-nrg and Neffa had achieved significant success in the previous decade. Primo Brown, Fabri Fibra and the rap group Colle Der Fomento contributed to the growing Italian rap community. Joe Cassano, El Presidente, Fritz da Cat, Turi, DJ Double S, Mondo Marcio also left their mark.

Between 2006 and 2008, Italian hip hop expanded its reach to a broader audience. Mondo Marcio's album Solo un Uomo brought the genre into the mainstream, followed by Fabri Fibra's Tradimentoand Marracash's Marracash, both chart-toppers.

2010s
At the start of the 2010s, Italian pop music dominated charts, while hip hop artists like Club Dogo, Fabri Fibra and Noyz Narcos were gearing up to release significant albums such as Che Bello Essere Noi, Controcultura and Guilty.

Emerging artists like Emis Killa and MadMan made their presence felt with projects like Champagne e Spine and Escape from Hearth.

Around 2015–2016, Italian hip hop experienced a significant shift. Artists like Gemitaiz and MadMan, Salmo, Marracash and Charlie Charles with their albums characterized this period. 

Ghali officially debuted in 2017 with Album, entering the top-selling charts in Italy. His success paved the way for the new school, led by artists like Sfera Ebbasta, Izi, Capo Plaza and Ernia.

 Regional Diversity 
Italian dialects vary significantly across regions. Artists from different areas embraced their local languages.

Campanians like Co'Sang, Clementino, Rocco Hunt, Geolier and Luchè incorporated their native Neapolitan dialects. Artists such as Dr. Drer & CRC Posse and Menhir sing in Sardinian. Piotta and Truceclan often incorporate the Romanesco dialect into their songs. Sud Sound System combine Jamaican rhythms with the Salentino dialect. Dj Tubet often raps in Friulian.

 References 

Category:Hip hop genres
hip hop