This one is not from Milano but is instead from an artist called "Luche" who comes from Naples, the city of my own ancestors (who of course fled). His songs are some of the most moving to me for this reason ; they offer incredible commentary on modern Naples and what has become of it; but they are also rather limited in scope in comparison to the rappers from the North of the peninsula because, well, Luche and the other Neapolitan rappers are essentially all "trapped", in a certain sense, being rappers of the "South" rather than being ones who can speak on broader, and more complex subjects. In other words, they are the ones who seem the most decidedly 'thugged out', and this is definitely the case when they are rapping in the Neapolitan dialect itself.
Now, in this song, which was released in May of 2014, some background details might be necessary to fully understand what was happening for Luche himself when it was released: He has a bit of success behind him by the time he has released this video (it is one of his bigger productions) and so now he is actually rapping in the standard Italian language instead of just doing things in the dialect, which is what he did nearly always in the older days. Many people in the comments, southerners, are all absolutely enraged that he has abandoned the dialect in the hopes of talking to a wider swathe of people across the entirety of the peninsula. Others are complimenting him and saying he is going in the right direction. This song in particular "SPORCO NAPOLETANO" translates as 'Dirty Neapolitan', and at the time of this writing has only 700,000 views. It might sound a lot but it is not really all that many. Most Italian songs never get as high as our own songs (which often have 900 million views) but most get at least 3-4 million, and a very big one might get 40 million or so. I point out the low view count just to try and display that he is sort of working with a definite prejudice against him as a result of being from the South. And the song itself of course is completely about the South.
I have tried my best with the translation, but again, remember, it is done very fast, and some words I do not know. Sometimes a phrase, for example, is used in another language, that is impossible to understand in English. In this tune for instance, Luche says ,in the last verse, "La domenica al poligono". Translated literally he is saying The Sunday, to a polygon. I have no idea what the polygon is, and probably if I sent a message to one of my pals in Italy, they might not know either. It could be something only said in Naples. It could not be. Some of Luche's other songs which are completely in dialect my buddies in Florence do not even understand a lick...
Anyways I hope you enjoy the song. I personally love it, and it is very moving for me, and I really cannot explain how deepy, deeply emotional it was for me, after a lifetime of growing up in an Italian neighobrhood here in the states, and reading of Naples as this mythological and troubled place that I did not understand but desperately wanted to, since it was where my "people" came from, and then finally getting the chance -- thanks to YouTube --- to see a video like this when I was older. As a kid in the early 00s, YouTube did not exist, and for the most part the only place I personally got to see Naples was when I read old stories of gangsters like Salvatore Luciano or when I would find my grandfathers old vinyl records with pictures of the city as it had been in the 1940s on it. Then of course there was this film Gomorrah in the early 00s that came out; but even a good film can't really compare, in my opinion, especially as a fan of rap stateside, to something like a rap video. It might sound strange, but there is actually a more "enhanced" sense of reality, when it comes to a rap video, since you are getting closer to the origin point of the people who are really there, in the pot, often for life....
So without further adieu, here we are...Luche singing for thee ... "Dirty Neapolitan"! Like I said before, I would suggest reading the lyrics as you play the video. It's much more entertaining that way (so I would imagine)...
I have a rose on my throat, too many thorns on my back,
I run risks alone, I have never lost control,
I have never gone to the emergency room
Participated in a contest
I have "Ben Gazzara" made in marble
They talk more of me, than they do my music
They want me humble & calm, to those who judge
I come from the jungle of cement!
Maybe if I had a view of the sea, I would have been an activist of the left....
Full of Gold, under the Shower
God, I beg you, don't let me die a 'poor Christ'
I am a dirty Neapolitan....
Brother, the people are out in the street, the situation is grave
Brother, no, it's not a procession, its the funeral of a criminal
It's hot in the Summer, brother, a sea of Blood
You ain't good at doing it, at getting rid of the trace of a crime!
I come from where they kill you, to avoid discussions
Dead on the ground for hours, so the people shall see
Italy condemns the same people who give nothing (might be error)
Better a room in the prison, than one in my neighborhood
If they stop you at night, you hear the sirens
They never stop asking questions, its what they want
They want to shame you, then ask for fogiveness
Hey its your birthday? We wish you dead x 4
Diamonds upon a child
The priest says "its delirium"
I want to commit sin, if it brings me to God!
Film it and forget it, the end is always a goodbye
Everyone has a story here, but the one dead is my own son
You smoke crack and hide, you wait the call of the Father
My name spoke in a low voice, then the execution
On Sunday ..... ??? (a word I cant understand)
There is only faith remaining, the media crucifies!
Ah, full of Gold, under the shower
God, I beg you! DOn't make me a poor Christ
I am a dirty Neapolitan
The Ben Gazzara reference in the first verse is somewhat fascinating. I don't know what he is referring to for sure, but it seems Ben Gazzara was an Italian-American actor originally named "Biagio Gazzara" , and it could perhaps be the case that Luche is telling us he has actually gone ahead and had a marble statue/bust made of the guy, with the money he has now made from being a criminal or a rapper, etc. It might come as a surprise to many Italian-Americans, because for many of us there is this big idea that the "actual Italians" could careless about us, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of them actually see us and a lot of our tales as more than a bit heroic. Though the understanding of the plight of the Italian-American definitely does not permeate all of the peninsula, I would say that there are many Italians back there who definitely root for a figure like Al Pacino more , just because he is Italian blood etc. They see themselves in us, I suppose, hence Luche is perhaps celebrating Ben Gazzara's success as an Italian-American who has made it. It is very beautiful to think if this is the case.
Ciao.
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