Is titled New scene the rap talent broadcast on Netflix which arouses interest and controversy, particularly on social networks. Three exceptional talent scouts, unleashed during the selection phase in the three cities with the flashiest rap scenes of the moment. Fabri Fibra in Rome (although he is from Senigallia): one of the so-called kings of the second era of rap, the first to translate it to the general public. Geolier, young pearl of the new Italian urban, in his Naples: the most streamed artist in recent years, at the top of the 2023 sales charts with his second album The courage of children, but above all the protagonist of the 74th edition of the Sanremo Festival which has just ended, where despite his second place, he literally outperformed all the other big names competing in the televised vote. In Milan, however, Rose Villain established herself, the coolest woman on the Italian scene, capable of not letting herself be outclassed by the typical clichés of the genre and, although she is at home in New York, of not not fall into imitating American gangster rappers. She also competed in Sanremo but was drowned in the crowd of artists summoned by Amadeus. Three talent scouts who become judges of the children they have chosen for the final phase at the Magazzini Generali in Milan. There, contestants are put to the test in various battles, from freestyle battle to best music video to a featured performance with some of the scene's biggest names: Guè, Noyz Narcos, Madame and Marracash. The final winner, who will be revealed in the last episodes available from next Monday, will receive a prize of 100 thousand euros and, perhaps more importantly, the visibility due to his participation in this format which has achieved excellent success in the United States and France. Two countries in which rap has done for several decades to the local recording industry what it is beginning to do to the Italian industry: dominate it.
advantages and disadvantages
Forget the reality TV narrative of Friendswe are also in a completely different universe compared to the strobe lights of X factor, New scene it's a very minimal show, shot almost like a music video, with a strong cinematic feel. Everything goes very quickly, only eight episodes which do not reach 60 minutes, broadcast in three installments, the first of four, the second of three and then the last, that of Monday. It is therefore impossible to become attached to the characters, despite the strong stories that they bring with them but which are barely mentioned. But the real problem of New scene, one that could prove to be a sensational own goal for rap, is another. All the competitors are perfectly familiar with rap aesthetics, rap etiquette, how to incite a rap audience: how to dress, how to move, how to greet each other. Yet almost all of them fell when it came to producing good music, and even those who remained standing didn't particularly shine. Many, one could say almost all, plans far from being computerized have turned out to be poorly prepared, some even almost improvised.
The (partial?) photograph of a generation
New scene this could be an interesting window into many young people's approach to rap music, but it seems more interested in packaging and selling an aesthetic than making good music. The program thus ends up giving the viewer the image of a generation of young people certainly burning with the desire to be able to speak about themselves, but who perhaps lack intellectual commitment, research and preparation. Because commercial success, the declared ultimate objective, almost always presented in the form of social and economic redemption, can be achieved by stretching out a little finger. To go further, as all the greats of our music have done, including rappers, would be a pointless effort. During New scene we witnessed complicated debacles even watching from home: children who were unable to catch an attack, others who, as rapper Nerone also pointed out on Threads creating a lively discussion, were unable to to keep eight bars in mind, “If you care about this stuff, you learn 300 of them with choreography attached. It's proof that the social generation is trying to be there more than being,” he concludes. “All this fucking rush guys. No, it takes time and effort. Like getting muscular, getting a graduate or become a professional.” That's the thing behind this rap New scene risks being revealing, this is obviously not the rule, in fact we can boast of at least thirty real phenomena in Italy. But there is a danger around the corner, which is that music is traded for success through music, because they are two different professions and one of them has an expiration date.
Posted by @neroneofficial
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