ghali
Album

Ghali was born in Baggio (MI), in '93, to Tunisian parents.
He grew up in Baggio.
Started rapping in his adolescence.
Dropped out of school.
Became a partner of Guè Pequeno and Fedez, often performing on stage with them as a backing vocalist.
Founded Troupe d'Elite, precisely during the worst period (2012) to present a copy of Gemelli Diversi.
I'm not quite sure when, but he also tried to make it big on Amici (here is the proof).
Troupe d'Elite was spat (=fired) out from the mouth of destiny (=major label) after being properly chewed (=stuck in a crappy contract).
Ghali took it hard.

But Ghali meets Charlie Charles, a genius of a producer as well as the ultimate precursor of Italian trap-rap.
Ghali starts to make waves, thanks to tracks like "Sempre Me," "Cazzo Mene," and "Come Milano."
All released on YouTube.

In early 2016, the gem "Dende" is released, which, although it essentially talks about being messed up, does so with the coolest rhymes that could be used.
Around May of the same year, "Wily Wily" (another banger) is released with a nice video shot in the desert.
The hype rises.
The hype rises even more.

In November '16, "Ninna Nanna" is released exclusively on Spotify.
Record listens.
Ghali is officially the hottest Italian rapper of the moment, even without having an album out yet.

The Album arrives in May '17. How is it?
So, speaking frankly: it works great, not as a rap album, but as a pop product aimed at the masses. Quality and versatile pop. There's trap ("Pizza Kebab," "Lacrime," "Ricchi Dentro"), house-pop ("Habibi," "Happy Days"), radio-friendly melodies ("Milano," "Oggi No"). There are catchy choruses (especially that of "Ricchi Dentro"), an entirely original sentimentality, style in spades, and a pleasant flow to listen to. If mixed pop had to sound like this, we accept it and welcome it.

But then comes a bit of bullshit-like conspiracy and shallow thinking with "did you know that AIDS and cancer can be cured / it's just that we're too poor for those treatments" and then you think Ghali has stepped out of line and maybe next time he should think twice before making pronouncements on such "big" issues. And not just that: you also understand how one should moderate language when loading expectations (perhaps to receive something in return?) on a 24-year-old rapper by announcing him as the prophet of migrants and an important pro-IUS SOLI voice. Because then there's the risk that such crap happens, and that the one left with egg on their face isn't just the artist (who is the main culprit, okay) but also those who said "in his verses there's a rare poetic style, the echo of a ritualistic sanctity of the word". I really don't understand why load this music with a meaning it doesn't have. Pop is pop, twenty-four years are twenty-four years, someone who has never read a book is someone who has never read a book. He may be a good artist, and he will be. And artists are allowed to express themselves freely, within the limits of respect for their listeners. This by Ghali is probably the most sadly terrible among the verses ever written in the history of Italian music.

Ghali, I don't think you'll ever apologize, simply because you'll never realize the biblical proportions of the nonsense you said. For this, I forgive you. Next time, however, stay in your lane.