1958 - 2009

..LEGENDARY..


R . I . P

Italian Rap Culture - What Went Wrong?

PART 1 - The Birth

I strongly feel that i'm part of the Hip Hop Generation...HH made me who i am today and my musical influences are mainly from this culture....when people ask me "what music do you listen?" i usually answer "errthing but i buy only HH related albums"...come to think of it, i have to be honest, it's been a long time since i set foot in a music store but anyway....

Since i spent most of my life so far in Italy, Rome more precisely, and attented the Lycee Chateaubriand (french school) | Big up to all Chateaubriannais reading this | i had the amazing chance to listen to US, French and Italian rap music...not only to listen but also understanding the culture behind the movement.....all 3 have more or less the same source socially speaking but expressed themselves differently....


In an earlier SOD* post i said that Italian rap was first influenced by punk movement in Italy...punk rock movement more precisely...the centri sociali were converted empty spaces that young squatters used as base of activity in order to express their opinion and spread it...generally with anarchist vision, these squatters would have round tables discussion on political issues, social issues but not only..they also used the centri sociali as radio broadcasting stations, movie theatres, art creation centers (litterature, photography, music, art in general)...just to be clear on this, the phenomenon of the centri sociali occured in Italy in the early 70's when the youg generation felt left behind...the rap movement started from these centri as a tool to acknowledge social rights, but only in the late 80's...


for more info on the centri sociali - italian link

As far as i can remember, the first italian rap title i heard, bought, knew by heart, and played over and over was Maria Maria from Articolo 31....highly commercial song with an interesting metaphor and story telling by J-Ax..during the same period, early 90's, Jovanotti was considered as a rap artist (which is not the case in my opinion) but he was the one definetly to launch italian rap to a mainstream level...i was 14 and spent most of my money and time on US HH, so i had access only to the commercial italian rap i would hear on the radio or see on tv...too bad for me, because the underground side of italian HH was booming, big names (undergroundly speaking) like Neffa, Dj Gruff, Assalti Frontali, Sangue Misto, 99 Posse, La Fossa, Sud Sound System (reggae/hip hop) and many others were already around making history in the underground world...i listened to them afterwards only...

Articolo 31


Neffa & Messageri Della Dopa





PART 2 - Bitten By The Rap Bee!

As many teenagers, i had my share of wanting to become a great rap artist some day...i used to write...my older brothers were rapping for fun (big up to Kool-G-MTC | Big D.S | Doudou MC)....djing (big up to Dj Moc-Fu | R.I.P. Dj Steezo)....friends were making grafittis (Stone | Kong | Skorpio | Spy | Caine | PSM what'up! | PAC)....tried a duo with Lesco -Funkstaz- but never had it in us to do it properly (i still hear my parents "Education first!!" ahahaha)....my artist name was Razbitum...given by Lesco's older brother, Doudou MC...he is actually the only one still raping (check him out here or download his NetTape here).

Good thing or bad thing, the Lycee Chateaubriand is located near Piazza Flaminio, a square which was a gathering place for the Flaminio Maphia Crew...by passing in front of them errday i had a chance to chill out with them, know them, squatt with them, freestyle with them, party with them, club with them...Flaminio Maphia (G-Max & Rude Mc) were the official rappers of the crew...you had breakers and graffers as well...here is where my love for italian HH started.............

To be continued...

The Montreal Fashion & Design Festival - 2009 Edition

To all Montreal people, to all fashion lovers, to all chillers out there, to all music addict..well you get the idea...so to all of you, this afternoon, dowtown Montreal will be the only spot to be....

The Montreal Fashion & Desing Festival is starting today and will last 4 days...

Fashion Shows | Fashion Events | Fashion Music | Outdoor Boutiques | Exhibitions | Special Events | Official Parties | Rally Shopping | Animations |

This festival is about enjoying fashion & music, about emerging fashion design, about summer trends. Live performances will be at the rendez vous as well..singers, musicians and some of Montreal own finest Djs...shout out to Dj Pat Boogie!!

Here is the complete schedule..print it and keep it in your pocket!

To find out more click here

"Rumble In The Jungle" Got "The Soul Power"

When i say Rumble In the Jungle you're guessing right away that i'm talking about the Ali/Foreman fight back in 74'...Don King, a true business genius, had the "craziest" idea for the heavyweight bout to take place in "Zaire"...

in order to succeed, he also had to back up the fight with something out of the imaginary...a massive concert that took place the night before the big fight...when i watched the documentary When We Were Kings a while ago, i was kinda frustrated not to see more of the concert...in the Ali movie, same thing...here's my chance now...
Usually i don't watch trailers of movies or anything else that i'm dying to see because it tends to spoil the suprise...but this one right here, this one right here! is a must see..i've seen it 4 times already..and yes, in a row....
Release date for Canada are not out yet but as soon as i get some more info on that i'll let you know...
In the mean time just get off that chair, turn up your speakers, and click play...you might need to close your office door too...





Visit the website here for more information on performers and staff.

SOD | Busta Rhymes - Ill Vibe (Feat. Q-Tip)

Code 903 - Get The Eff Out!

May 28, 2009 - Montreal.... Around 5:00pm a dude..talking to an STM agent..goes "ma valise contient des explosifs" (my luggage is filled with explosives) and then starts running.....for the next 3 hours to come after that comment, downtown Montreal was almost chaotic..traffic jam..rain..closed streets...

Sister
She was actually in the metro when they asked errbody to evacuate..after shutting down the yellow line and closing all the stations in the downtown area..she had to get out and walk-shopping instead..under the rain...(continues further down)


Me
Good thing i left early from work that day..and good thing was that the blue line wasn't affected by the evacuation...stressing fact was that every 3 minutes (i think even less) the auto system kept on repeating that the service was stopped between this station and that one and that other to that other one..and this due to a ongoing police intervention...(area in the picture below is the "closed zone")....the "danger zone" was too big for a regular police intervention in the subway...i decided to go out...called and met with my sister...



Sister
Now she's telling me that 2 messages were announced:
- an message inviting all travelers to evacuate the subway due to police intervention
- "a tout le personnel, Code 903..." (to all staff, code 903).
Code 903 = Bomb Alert...
After walking around a lil bit trying to find stuff to buy, she had to go at the other end of the city by crossing the "danger zone"....Me, i spent an hour waiting for the right bus to take me home.....while i was waiting for the bus my sister called me "i just heard a *boom*".."WHAT!? a big *boom* or...?".."well enough to have felt the ground shaking a lil bit".."so i guess the're was really a suspicious package..they've must detonated it".."well there are 5 cops at the entrance of the subway..they're laughing..it seems like they knew something will blow up".."drchhh..ight ight..okay catch you later..stay safe"...

Brother
Around 9:00pm..my brother gets home while i'm helping my sis' bringing up those beautiful bridesmaid dresses (for my cousin's wedding...wishing them all the best + all blessings for their new life..)....normal reaction: "u heard?".."what?".."the bomb alert..service down..downtown jammed like hell..detonation".."whaaaaat? no?..seriously? mah!"

Thoughts
1. if i really wanted to blow things up..i would not tell....
2. you're telling me to "evacuate" because there is a police intervention and you're telling you're colleague "dude there's a bomb in here..do what u gotta do" .. well screeeeew you..I also want to know that and do what i gotta do (scream, run, panic..whateva, as long as i know)....
3. how the eff could you let people walk around the metro station since you declared there is a bomb underneath???
4. more transportation should've been available
5. bluetooth should be standard to all cell in order to receive live updates on important matters or at least we should receive a text message from carriers "avoid downtown montreal..possible bomb threat" or something like that....

Anyway, funniest thing is while i was writing this post i called my sis' to make sure of the code number..and guess what? the following monday a Code 902 (= Tunnel Intrusion) was announced...Sis' is telling me that it happened in the morning and she had to take a cab to get to work...did you hear about it??? Now i'm not saying that STM should reveal anything going on but at least..you know..give me a head start...

From now on..whenever you hear "CODE 903" just GET THE EFF OUT!!!

SOD | Frankie Hi-NRG MC - Quelli Che Ben Pensano

Hip Hop made in Italy

Fact: italian rap culture was first influenced by punk movement..
i'll prepare an article for you guys...i had a chance to discuss about italian rap back in 2000 with Sparo (used to collaborate with Flaminio Maphia...wonder where he is now)....anyway enjoy this video which was a huge hit...

"Sono intorno a me .. ma non parlano con me.."

Song of the Day : SOD

Pharrell - Frontin

Virgin Festival 2009

Following up on events for this summer in Montreal, the Virgin Festival 2009 is a definite no miss event.

It will be held @ Parc Jean Drapeau on June 19th & 20th.
I never been to this event before but the performers list is quite interesting:

Jun 19:
+ BLACK EYED PEAS (talking about moving the crowd)
+ SIMPLE PLAN (teens will be served)
+ HEDLEY
+ THE NEW CITIES
+ CARLY RAE
+ JEPSEN
+ EVA AVILA
+ STEREOS
+ KREESHA TURNER (if i could just talk to her...)

Jun 20:
+ NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
+ AKON (represent)
+ DAVID USHER
+ LIVE
+ KARL WOLF (hmmm..really!?)
+ JESSE MCCARTNEY
+ LIGHTS (i don't know bout you but i would play her in a coffee shop, very lightly*)
+ DIVINE BROWN
+ JONATHAN ROY
+ JABBAWOCKEEZ (saw them on tv and really want to see them perform live on stage)

Tickets can be bought online
- 1 day pass @ $75.00
- 2 days pass @ $133.50
- VIP Pass @ $313.50

More information are available here.



image source: virginfestival.ca

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* don't get me wrong, she's talented.

"1st of tha Month"

"Wake up wake up wake up, it's the 1st of the month
Get up get up get up, so cash your checks and come up"

I remember when my brother copped this cd..."E. 1999 Eternal"...back then i didnt really understand english but i sure did understand what good music was...i remember listening to this song again and again...i would just hit the repeat button on my brother's cd player and keep on nodging my head....of course my bro wasn't there to see me..if only he knew how many times i used his stuff without him knowing..anyway, this is another story to tell...ahahaha (one luv big bro! if you're reading this)...
in the mean time just hit the play button and enjoy some nice music...
Happy first of the month to errbody!