Guè

If the 2024 of Italian hip-hop began with the return of Club Dogo, 2025 is inaugurated by Guè and his ninth album, “Tropico del Capricorno,” two years after the tribute to old-school hip-hop with “Madreperla.” The reference is to the novel of the same name by Henry Miller, whose title was chosen to present a collection of eclectic tracks that sometimes sound more reflective and intimate than in the past, while other times are more geared towards parties and hits.

The boldest attempt at a platinum record comes right at the start: a new duet with Rose Villain, “Oh mamma mia,” which samples Pino Daniele. The track alternates pounding choruses, ready for the floors of the most commercial clubs, with a great harmony between the two voices, with her delivering a verse better than her entire second album. Another brilliant sample is in “Meravigliosa,” with the ghost of Stadio accompanying a rapper who is always impeccable on the beat: another track ready to hit millions of streams, showcasing Guè’s ability to draw from Italy’s musical culture, as he has shown in past hits like “Oro,” which sampled Pino Mango. The third track appealing to a mainstream audience is the collaboration with Frah Quintale, “Nei tuoi skinny,” blending eroticism and reggae; the fourth is the melancholic pop-rap “Non lo so,” with Chiello, which dangerously borders on the rhymed fairy tales of Mr. Rain.

The more reflective “Vibe” and “Pain Is Love,” in classic Guè style, and “Da 0 a 100” with Shiva, featuring the usual (and regrettable) self-absolution narrative, are outshone by the more nostalgic “Gazelle” (with Ele A): soulful vibes, low pillow-talk vocals, and a slow beat that supports a duet-style chorus. “Astronauta,” closing the album, showcases Guè’s ability to shift delivery and flow, presenting a track that hits straight to the heart with its dark, almost funereal tone:

Copia codice
Oltre le bugie, i miei sogni
Oltre i tuoi segreti
Come un astronauta, tra le stelle non mi vedi
Senza gravità, verso altri pianeti
La tua verità muore oltre lo zenit
Senza gravità, verso altri pianeti
La tua verità muore oltre lo zenit

The collaborations with Artie 5ive and Geolier feel too predictable, offering nothing new in the catchy “La G la U la E pt.3” (quite different from the first two chapters). There’s little of interest in the ode to women, “Le tipe.” The trio of Guè, Ghali, and Tony Effe on “Kalispera” delivers carnival-style music that’s hard to listen to unless you’re in the mood, easily surpassed by the other trio, with Ernia and Tormento, in “Nei DM,” more subdued and technical in its rhymes but still lacking in substance.

“Tropico del Capricorno” confirms that Guè excels more in hits, his own and others’, than in albums, as of late. Compared to “Madreperla,” it panders more to a younger audience without offering much: some clever collaborations, a few more or less well-placed choruses. On the mic, he remains the dragon he’s been since the days of “MI Fist,” but it’s equally well known that this alone doesn’t make a good hip-hop album in 2025. Needless to say, it lacks any of the provocation and boldness of the novel it draws inspiration from.

(This article’s English version was produced with AI-assisted translation)

14/01/2025