Our favourites Italian Hip Hop albums of 2021

Sardinia Assassins is the Sardinian tribute that the Cagliari rapper Lil Pin, with the assistance of Nex Cassel, in a new role of producer, decided to dedicate to Muggs and his “Soul Assassins” label. Sardinia Assassins is, in fact, a condensation of vitriol bars and dirty beats on which Lil Pin proves, once again, that he has few rivals in Italy when it comes to spitting raw rhymes on a microphone.

Like spray bombers bombing city walls, Poppa Gee is trying to get his name to the attention of the people by spinning him around as much as possible. And if the public and the media of the sector continue to pretend that this Milanese MC with a covered face and his hardcore rap do not exist, turning away, Poppa Gee will continue to bomb the scene with vitriolic rhymes, until he manages to take the respect and attention it deserves. Above the beautiful beats packaged by GSQ in “Le Mani Sulla Città“, Poppa Gee continues his war against the squalor that populates the mediocre Italian Rap scene, including references to the underground world of graffiti and the old Milan places, which by now it seems to no longer exist.

Actually, looking closer, also, in Italy there are rappers with original ideas and lyrical depth, who represent a more mature audience. The Florentine rapper, Creep Giuliano is certainly one of them. Indeed, “Alzati e Cammina“, entirely produced by J.O.D, demonstrates this: an introspective and honest journey into the most and least pleasant moments of the rapper’s life, declined with great lyrical qualities on productions with a classic flavor,

If there is anyone in the Italian rap scene who does not mince words and talks straight, that is Chicoria, of the ZTK crew. In this “Servizio Funebre part 2” Lp, the rapper and graffiti writer from Rome does not worry about anyone, by targeting even the Italian politicians. He showed that he still has a lot to say, expressing the voice of the streets, in a 100% Roman and Italian sauce, without having to imitate realities and attitudes that do not belong to his country. A raw and hardcore album, that simply tells what it is, without messing around with gimmicks and special effects, thanks also to the tight productions, most of which are provided by Depha Beat and the shrewd choice of featurings, from Massimo Pericolo to Brenno Itanni, passing through Mr. Pooccio, Barracano and Ugo Borghetti.

In Italy, there are not many who can boast the appelative of “legend”, one of these is undoubtedly ESA a.k.a El Presidente, frontman of OTR and GENTE GUASTA groups. Names that in our country rhyme with Hip-Hop. Even today, the rapper of Calabrian origins, first transplanted to Varese and then Milan, is the living example of when this culture becomes a philosophy of life and daily bread. Yes, because ESA lives and thinks Hip-Hop. In a musical world, where Rap has become a stereotypical synonym of violence, fame, money, power and gangsterism, Esa and all the guests of this new album “Fantastic Classics Vol.1” from Poppa Gee to Gato Tomato, passing through Italo Beats, Kronos Kroniko, Fidel Kato, the singer Awa Fall and many others, still symbolize that niche that pushes Hip-Hop in its authentic and original spirit, moved by “peace, love, unity and having fun”.

The samples, ingeniously cut by FatFat Corfunk for the productions of Parole Sante, are the perfect sound carpet for the deep and nostalgic lyrics of the Milanese rapper (ex Dogo Gang) Montenero and the Florentine one, Creep Giuliano. The two, in addition to a great chemistry, show that you can do Rap, maintaining a street attitude, in a conscious and mature way.

The rapper from Turin, Thai Smoke, has shown with this EP that he is one of the sharpest and most true emerging pens on the Italian scene. We are ready to bet on him for the future.

There is not much to say: Marracash confirms himself as the Italian Nas, thanks to the narrative talent, unmatched in Italy, which still distinguishes him. Often in his career, as happened to Nasir Jones, he has faced the weight of expectations and the difficulty of facing the creation of a record that respects both his talent and commercial needs. With this album he came very close to finding the synthesis between these two extremes …

In Cinzia the rapper from Ostia (Rome) Rasty Kilo manages to give voice, in a raw and credible portrait (which is rare in Italy), to the unease, poverty and degradation of the Italian poorest hoods, recounting situations and experiences that few in Italian rap can really talk about it so honestly.

Compared to the version of Gue‘s album mode (as “Guesus” was released at the end of the year), more reasoned and studied, we preferred the more carefree and raw mixtape version of Fastlife vol.4. Free from schemes, Guè manages to give the best of himself: swagger and clever bars are the main content of this “mixtape”.

The Roman producer Cuns, one of the founders of Tuff Kong Records, a record company that for some years has been establishing itself as one of the most important in the Italian and international Hip-Hop panorama as regards the printing and distribution of vinyls, has orchestrated a very powerful compilation with the help of all the rappers of the house MxRxGxA. The collective founded by Gionni Gioielli is increasingly the leader of the Bel Paese’s underground scene.

With Keta Music Vol.3 Emis Killa returns, in a certain sense, to its origins, dusting off bars and sounds more faithful to its roots linked to the most classic Hip-Hop, continuing the journey started last year with 17, his album with Jake La Furia.