Fabri Fibra
Mr. Simpatia

THE REVIEW

Mr. Simpatia is the second solo album by Fabri Fibra, who attempts to replicate the success of the excellent "Turbe Giovanili." The album consists of 17 tracks plus 1 bonus, all with lyrics filled with violence and anger that Fibra combines with very exciting beats.

The album opens with L'uomo nel mirino, a track that aims to summarize the themes dealt with in the entire album and has a chorus that serves as a prelude to the harshness of the lyrics "Io non rimo, inietto veleno in questo casino"; also noteworthy is the attack on rapper Tormento, "Io non parlo come un gay come quel cazzo di Tormento", who will later respond with the song "Puzza di Fighetta".

Gonfio Così is a purely vulgar and chauvinistic text, probably an outburst from a romantic disappointment of Fibra himself; "Questa classica sfigata che va in cerca d'attenzione, finirà un giorno stuprata nel bagno della stazione" is just one of the many nastiness in the text. In Io non ti invidio, a not yet commercial Fibra criticizes the "mercenari dello spettacolo": in the opening rhymes there's an open critique of Paola Barale, who, just to put on a show, "va in giro a fare orgie con lo sguardo sempre fatto"; later the Subsonica and Sgarbi are mentioned. Fibra declares that he makes music only for the pleasure of doing it and not because he wants to profit from it.

Venerdì Diciassette is perhaps the most wicked track on the album, denouncing dark facts with vulgar and sharp language that really conveys the gravity of the crimes denounced. Chilling is the rhyme "come quel tipo che è entrato in casa dei tuoi genitori con una bottiglia di vino e un mazzo di fiori andando col cappotto verso l’attaccapanni parlando con la tua sorellina di dodici anni che è stata ritrovata il giorno dopo nello sgabuzzino senza vestiti con un taglio nell’intestino e le budella nel cestino la sborra sul cuscino il sangue sul lavandino e cola sul tappetino". The highlighted events are family massacres, such as the one cited in the text of Novi Ligure, rapes, and masses of demonstrators run over by the police.

Solo una Botta is a song with themes very similar to Gonfio Così, attacking women, highlighting their role as purely sexual objects, using strong metaphors "mi fiondo dentro come il proiettile sparato in testa a Carletto". Momenti No is the most beautiful song on the album, pervaded by a strong, very pessimistic autobiographical feeling. The chorus connects to a story that ended badly with a girl, while the other parts of the text express Fibra's sense of disorientation, feeling increasingly oppressed by this life and his failure. Worth noting is the verse “ma chiedo un prestito a un collega e ci compro una trentatre, da spararmi in testa in ufficio quando il mio capo non c’è, metà cervello brutto stronzo te lo spruzzo sul parquet”, which connects to the album cover depicting a dead Fibra with a gun beside him surrounded by blood.

Da questo Locale is the seventh track on the album and tells how Fibra considers himself marginalized, also due to his too crude behavior, from the "locale," meaning society. Rap in Vena is the story of the years spent in England working on an assembly line. Fibra has often stated how he suffered from the monotony of the days and how he felt exploited by his boss, as noted in the rhymes "cazzo mi impegno sempre un sacco, la sera quando stacco ripenso ma quanto ha fatto, questa azienda del cazzo però è la tua.”

Niente Male is yet another track against women: this time the aforementioned girl ends up pregnant; the coldness of the rhymes makes the skin freeze. Piotta, the Flaminio Maphia, La Pina, and the Novantanove Posse are the rappers targeted in Faccio sul Serio, a song that attempts to enhance Fibra's rap, as he is totally dedicated to its success. Non crollo is, so to speak, the sequel to Faccio sul serio: if before Fibra tells us how he dedicates himself to his music, now he tells us how he doesn't stop despite failures and tries to disprove those who accuse him of being full of money, in short “Ricordi quando hai detto adesso lui fa il ricco, quando neanche immagini io quanto sono a picco, Ma se poi c’avessi i soldi per cui tu mi incolpi ancora, io ti pagherei uno stronzo che ti spari nella gola” and the chorus “Non crollo mi stringono per il collo, stanno strangolandomi impedendomi il decollo” fully express the characteristics of the track.

The twelfth track, Non fare la Puttana, has often been misinterpreted: the bitch in question is Fibra himself, urging himself not to sell out to major record labels (something he will do immediately after this album). Voglio farti un regalo is another anthem against women. With Palle Piene, Fibra's anger explodes once again with this outburst against everyone, with a text that highlights his stress. The Track List Mr. Simpatia contains strong criticisms against the Church and its way of subjecting and subjugating anyone in its sights, essential for a text with these themes is the blasphemy almost midway through “***** Dio di crocifissione”. Andiamo is a featuring with Fibra's brother, Nesli, which ties back to Lascio Stare, a track by Nesli on the album Home. The theme of the text is the problems of society and its deterioration. With Tienila Su, the album closes, similar to Non Crollo, encouraging the rapper not to give up and keep going. The Bonus Track is a summary of everything said throughout the album.

Even though Fibra, over the years, has turned into everything he despises in this album, Mr. Simpatia is his best work: the album, with a sharp language that at times spills into the reluctant, manages to express fully the anger and disgust of the rapper from Senigallia. In short, Mr. Simpatia is an anthem against the current society and its decay, which also serves as an autobiography for Fibra, in summary, an album recommended for all rap lovers.