What it means to be Italian in second-generation Italian rap and trap songs
By Rachel Grasso (University of Toronto; August 28th, 2024)
Who is Italian? What is italianità (Italianness)? Who has the right to claim the Italian identity? Loaded questions that have sparked intense debates within and outside of Italy due to Italy’s history of being a country of emigration with significant internal migration from the South to the North and subsequent transition to a country of immigration in the early 1970s.Toto Cutugno’s famous song “L’italiano” (1983) has become a sort of unofficial national anthem for the Italian identity both at home and abroad. With lyrics such as “Lasciatemi cantare/ Perché ne sono fiero/ Sono un italiano/ Un italiano vero” (Let me sing/ Because I’m proud of it/ I’m an Italian/ A real Italian), the song includes the concept of a “real Italian,” and in turn implies the existence of the contrary, i.e. fake Italians or perhaps those who are not Italian enough.
A group whose Italian identity is often called into question—but not by Cutugno’s song, which he wrote in 1983, well before the question of national identity became a public and political debate— is second-generation Italians, i.e. individuals who are born and/or raised in Italy to immigrant parents. In the past 20 years, second-generation Italian artists have made significant contributions to the Italian music scene, with a notable presence in the genre of rap and one of its subgenres, trap music, both of which deal heavily with the notions of identity and authenticity.[1] They have even won awards at the Festival of Sanremo; for example, Mahmood won in 2019 with his song “Soldi” (Money) and in 2022 alongside the Italian singer Blanco with their song “Brividi” (Chills) and Rancore won the Sergio Bardotti Award for Best Lyrics in 2020 with his song “Eden.” The 2024 Festival of Sanremo holds particular importance for the representation of second-generation Italians thanks to Ghali who defended the Italian identity of G2 Italians and challenged the idea of a homogenous, monolithic, and “pure” Italian identity in his medley “Un italiano vero” (A Real Italian), comprised of his songs “Bayna” (“seeing each other clearly”), the first verse of which is in Arabic,[2] and “Cara Italia” as well as Toto Cutugno’s “L’italiano.” Many second-generation Italians, including fellow G2 Italian rappers and trappers, thanked Ghali through social media for representing them on this important national stage and communicating that they too are “italiani veri” (real Italians).
What it means to be Italian in the rap and trap music of second-generation Italian artists is complex and nuanced, not only because of the already present local and regional divisions throughout Italy but also because of the added factors of race, religion, language, and citizenship. The Italian identity is stereotypically associated with whiteness, Christianity, speaking Italian and possessing Italian citizenship since birth. Associated with the Italian identity is fluency in the Italian language and often at least a passing knowledge of the dialect of one’s hometown. Fluency in and/or knowledge of certain foreign languages may also be compatible with the Italian identity; for example, English, the lingua franca of the world, Spanish, or French. However, fluency in foreign languages like Arabic, Swahili, or Chinese would not be viewed as compatible with the Italian identity due to their association with groups who have recently immigrated to Italy. Even languages like Romanian, which is also a Romance language like Italian, and Albanian, a linguistic minority protected in the Italian Constitution, would not be viewed as compatible with the Italian identity for the same reason.
The identities of second-generation Italian artists often do not coincide with all of these characteristics, which can lead them to be excluded from the Italian identity by Italian society and even by themselves after internalizing this homogeneous notion of Italianness. While some artists identify as Italian or as a hybrid Italian identity (e.g. Nigerian-Italian), others identify with the nationality/nationalities of their parents. Over the course of their lives and careers, some have come to find national identities to be frustratingly limiting and exclusionary, choosing to see themselves as citizens of the world instead. Therefore, their opinions on the Italian identity, the frequency with which they discuss it, and the approach they take to do so vary.
One of the main interpretations of the Italian identity present in their music characterizes it as an evolving and malleable identity that is not mutually exclusive with other national, racial, religious, linguistic, and citizenship identities. Therefore, to be Italian is also to be an eclectic mix – a conception of Italianness that coincides with Italy’s geographical position as a peninsula and islands in the middle of the Mediterranean that have been inhabited and visited by various groups. The epitome of this interpretation is Ghali who, born and raised in the Baggio neighborhood of Milan to Tunisian parents, defines himself as “un po’ italiano, un po’ tunisino” (a little Italian, a little Tunisian) in his song “Cara Italia,” which he characterizes as a love letter to Italy. Ghali also combats the idea that the Italian identity and Muslim faith are mutually exclusive in his song “Ora d’aria” (Break) when he says “Mi stai chiedendo se sono italiano o musulmano?” (You’re asking me if I’m Italian or Muslim?). He also uses various foreign languages in his music, the best example being his song “Jennifer” in which he uses six languages. In addition, he has proudly shown both his Italian and Tunisian passports side by side on Instagram as well as utilized food as a symbol of cultural fusion like in his song “Pizza kebab.” The approach he takes in discussing political issues in his music and career may be characterized as peace & love, implied, metaphorical, and, at times, commercial that has also involved activism, such as donating a boat to Mediterranea Saving Humans – an NGO that rescues migrants at sea. In his work, Amir Issaa also maintains this interpretation of the Italian identity as well as refutes the exoticism present in Italian society and media of second-generation Italians’ identities, arguing that diverse identities should be considered normal given the human nature of migration and today’s globalization. This is most clear in his songs “Non sono un immigrato” (I’m not an immigrant), “Straniero nella mia nazione” (Foreign in my own country), and “Ius Music.”
However, this interpretation is not without debate. Another proponent of this interpretation is Tommy Kuti who identifies as “afroitaliano, perché il mondo è cambiato” (Afro-Italian, because the world has changed) in his song “#AFROITALIANO.” In stark disagreement with this term and interpretation is Gilles Yahfa, whose pan-Africanist beliefs are evident in his song “Lettera di un afroitaliano” (Letter from an Afro-Italian). He argues that the children of African immigrants in Italy have lost sight of and love for their African roots, leading them to face an identity crisis trying to be accepted as Italian by Italian society and to demonstrate a lack of solidarity with the African community in Italy. Both artists are very active on social media, primarily Instagram and Tik Tok, which they use to share their views with followers.
The music of G2 Italian rappers and trappers also communicates the intrinsic ties of Italianness to local and regional identities within the country. This is also shown through their hybrid terminology; for example, Jesse the Maestro defines himself as “afrosiciliano” (Afro-Sicilian), Jeezus defines himself as “afronapoletano” (Afro-Neapolitan), and Chiky Realeza defines himself as “sudamerisardo” (South American-Sardinian). It is also shown through their use of local dialects: Brescian (Slava), Milanese (Maruego, Zanko El Arabe Blanco), Neapolitan (El Say, J Lord, Lina Simons, Jeezus), Roman (Amir Issaa, Rancore), and Sicilian (Jesse the Maestro). In addition, Mahmood has performed Sardinian folk songs in videos available on YouTube.
Second-generation Italian artists utilize various approaches to discuss Italian identity, which vary from politically active to commercial to provocatory to avoidant. Perhaps the most interesting is the provocatory approach not only for the way in which it engages critics but also for how it uses stereotypical notions of Italianness as a form of protest. The epitome of this approach is Bello FiGo who is most well-known for his song “Non pago affitto” (I don’t pay [the] rent), which plays on the stereotype of African immigrants not paying rent, being lazy, and not working. In other songs like “Pasta con tonno” (Pasta with tuna) and “Sembro Francesco Totti” (I seem like Francesco Totti), he uses the stereotype of Italians only eating pasta and compares himself to Francesco Totti, one of the most famous Italian soccer players who is white, to affirm his Italian identity. In so doing, he mocks a fastidious question second-generation Italians often receive – “what do you eat at home?” – and refutes the notion that one must be white to be Italian.
Slava, a Brescian rapper born to Ukrainian parents, also utilizes this approach in his song “Itagliano” that he released shortly after receiving Italian citizenship in his mid-twenties.[3] A parody of Cutugno’s song, he states “Signore e signori/ Date il benvenuto al vostro nuovo concittadino/…/Non sono nato in Italia, sono nato italiano/…/Sono itagliano vero” (Ladies and gentlemen/ Let’s welcome your newest fellow citizen/…/I wasn’t born in Italy/ I was born Italian/…/ I’m a real Italian). Also performing a character, the music video shows Slava as Vincenzo Lasagna – a “real Italian” whose hair is dyed like the Italian flag that eats pasta with ketchup, drives a red motor-scooter delivering pizzas, and wears a cape of the similar-looking Mexican flag. He therefore mocks the idea of being a real Italian and the idea that possessing citizenship is necessary to be Italian.
Mike Lennon, a rapper from Parma of Vietnamese descent who is one of the few few Asian-Italian rappers, also mocks the exclusivity of the Italian identity through in his single “KonicHiwa” (2018) and EP Asian (2019). In these works he portrays a character of the stereotypical Asian in the eyes of white Italians as a form of protest, even staying partially in character for interviews pretending to not be able to pronounce the letter “r” in Italian and replacing it with an “l”, a linguistic trait stereotypically associated with Asian immigrants speaking Italian. He later leaves this character behind in his debut album Itasian (2022) in which he explores the mixed nature of his identity as noted in the title of the album, a combination of the words “Italian” (or “Italiano”) and the English word “Asian.”
In conclusion, second-generation Italian rappers and trappers challenge the notion of a homogenous, monolithic, and “pure” italianità, making it more inclusive and reflective of the country’s growing diversity. Most importantly, they give a voice to a community of immigrants and their children who still do not have the political, economic, and social representation they need. Also referencing Cutugno in his song “Immigrato” (Immigrant), 8blevrai says “Lasciatemi cantare perché ne sono fiero (Ne sono fiero)/ Lasciatemi cantare la vita che fa un immigrato vero” (Let me sing because I’m proud of it (I’m proud of it)/ Let me sing about the life of a real immigrant).
(Toronto, September 2024)
Works Cited:
Bello FiGo – “Non pago affitto”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ookGv44MMd4
Bello FiGo – “Pasta con tonno”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4MQZ-C2xZE
Bello FiGo – “Sembo Francesco Totti”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld9ja1Xl37k
Cutugno, Toto – “L’Italiano”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syc78JzHGTs
Ghali – “Un italiano vero”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MYbBCqv9RA
Ghali – “Cara Italia”: https://theitaliansong.com/it/songs/cara-italia-2/
Ghali – “Bayna”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFq2I2a3Pj8
Gilles Yahfa – “Lettera di un afroitaliano”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjCamYxPwq0
Issaa, Amir, “Straniero nella mia nazione”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_rFTVbjLQQ
Issaa, Amir, “Non sono un immigrato”: https://theitaliansong.com/it/songs/non-sono-un-immigrato-2/
Issaa, Amir, “Ius music”: https://theitaliansong.com/it/songs/ius-music-2/
Kuti Tommy , “#AFROITALIANO”: https://theitaliansong.com/it/songs/afroitaliano-2/
Mahmood, “Soldi”: https://theitaliansong.com/it/songs/soldi-2/
Mahmood & Blanco – “Brividi”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MgMhzfUmiA
Mahmood performs “No potho reposare”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkQas3-Q4SU
Nieddu, Laura, Da L’italiano a Cara Italia: vecchie e nuove rappresentazioni del Belpaese nella canzone italiana. L’Italia in tutte le salse, Diacritica A. IX, n.49, 31 ottobre 2023.
Rancore – “Eden”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCmACrF33Po
Saltalamacchia, Stefania. “Sanremo 2024: Ghali, l’italiano vero canta in arabo”, Vanity Fair, 10 Febbraio 2024
Slava – “Itagliano”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPxaH06POw4
Valentina Sorbera, L’”italiano vero”: tra identità e cultura. L’evoluzione dell’identità culturale italiana tramite l’analisi delle canzoni Brividi, La Famiglia e La Dolce vita, Diacritica A. IX, n.49, 31 ottobre 2023.
8blevrai – “Immigrato”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOIF2qIsglk
[1]The term “second-generation Italian” (often abbreviated as “G2 Italian”) is problematic as it includes a descriptor that could undermine the Italian identity of these individuals. This group of Italians has also been referred to with the term “second-generation immigrants,” which negates their Italian identity and attributes a migration that some of them never made or made due to a decision of their parent(s). However, this term is widely used by this group of Italians, Italian society, and scholars who study this topic; therefore, it will be used in this text until a more appropriate term is proposed.
[2]The choice to begin this medley in Arabic is a clear rebuke of what happened at the Festival of Sanremo in 2019 when the national identity of Mahmood, the winner of the festival who is from Milan and was born to a Sardinian mother and Egyptian father, was called into question for including one line of Arabic in his song “Soldi” (Money).
[3] The addition of the “g” to the word “italiano” causes a slight change in its pronunciation. In Italian “gli” is pronounced “lyee.” The addition of the “g” represents a linguistic form of resistance to Italian identity.
