Gente Guasta
La Grande Truffa Del Rap

Imagine being in Italy in 1994 (and for those who were there, remember). Italian rap is in its golden age (in that year SxM by Sangue Misto, Dal Basso by Lou X, Sopratutto Sotto by Sottotono, Lorenzo 1994 by Jovanotti, Messa Di Vespiri by Articolo 31, etc., were released), and hip hop is lived in its true form.

In 1994, the first album by Otierre, Quel Sapore Particolare, was released, which also had some success. Of the 9 members who participated in that album, only two remain, Esa and Polare, to which La Pina is then added. With this formation, Dalla Sede is released, vastly superior to the previous one and makes Otierre known to a much larger audience, probably thanks also to the single Rispettane l'Aroma (who doesn't know it?).

To tell the truth, OTR never thrilled me because "if there's one thing I hate, it's positive rap" (quote), but it's purely a subjective matter.

Esa and Polare decide to continue their path by forming Gente Guasta, and (fortunately) there's no longer any trace of OTR's optimism.

The duo's first album, La Grande Truffa Del Rap, is indeed quite a dark and introspective album, in which there is a sort of irony tinged with bitterness.

The first track is the title track, performed together with Uomini Di Mare and Nesli, and we immediately understand what kind of album we are listening to. Unbelievable metrics and flow like you don't find anymore, and of course, spectacular beats in full old school style.

L'Originale Trasmissione Della Rovina is one of my favorite tracks, and the title speaks for itself. Italy is literally falling apart, but Gente Guasta is on the front lines with their rap to stop the ruin.

B Careful is quite a sad track where the theme of death often recurs. Here, the duo, together with Dominicano and Opius 1, talks about their "youthful troubles" (just to quote Fibra), there's always fear of making mistakes in social relationships, never at peace with oneself.

In Soul, Soul, Soul!... Io Lo So, they try to find the strength to move forward, despite the thousand problems that afflict us.

Chi E' Il Pagliaccio? is beautiful: a comparison is made between themselves, who seem to be the only ones still believing in values, and the people who dared to call them clowns.

I also love Lotta Armata, which practically urges those who feel frustrated living in this society to rebel.

I Due Emisferi partly takes up the concepts of the previous track, but the social critique is expanded.

I Solidi Sospetti is one of those posse tracks that you don't forget even if you're suffering from Alzheimer's (Gente Guasta, Colle Der Fomento, Gufo Supremo, Amir, and Sparo Manero... you get the idea).

Tappa Dopo Tappa is a kind of storytelling where the duo talks about their love for travel.

In Mondi Sotterranei, they talk about another of their loves, rap.

Insane Metamorfosi talks about their need to go "against the hyenas who show their teeth" (the infamous ones trying to drag you down).

Missionari, Misionari, Milionari speaks clearly: we will continue to rap until we are millionaires, even if you bastards want to take us out.

And after the previous 4 tracks that certainly aren't bad but sometimes I tend to skip them comes the gem: Programmati Per Uccidere. The beat in its minimalism drives me crazy, and the lyrics ("Life on the front line is a continuous deadline, you want to balance the accounts you beggars in the basement, but the life of a beggar not to give in to blackmail means that I either retract or adapt") are certainly not less.

The outro La Granda Truffa is simply a recording of disjointed and not too comprehensible phrases by Fabri and Esa.

Concluding the work is Ill Combo '97 with the always excellent Sean (Radical Stuff, Messaggeri Della Dopa, Merda & Melma ring any bells?).