Murubutu

Eighth studio album for Alessio “Murubutu” Mariani, a practitioner as unique as rare of a literary rap full of classic sounds from 90s hardcore and complex, dense texts of high inspiration, constantly focused on the narrative dimension. If in the past he had sacrificed almost everything to the needs of storytelling, since "Gli ammutinati del Bouncin'" (2014) he has found a more substantial musical dimension: more stories and less History. More refined productions, a selection of carefully chosen guests, and the strength of experience have led, without major upheavals, to this "La vita segreta delle città". The central theme is that of urban space, to be understood, says the rapper, as "a stone book on which history slips" and "a living and sentient organism."

Inspired, unsurprisingly, by various literary suggestions (from Joyce to Calvino, passing through Balzac and Woolf), cinematic references ("Il cielo sopra Berlino" by Wenders), and even news stories, it is a narrative that will appeal to those who resonate with the hip-hop sound of twenty or more years ago and are ready to dedicate attentive and active listening to the album.

Murubutu unravels the lyrics, almost whispering them, from the opening "La città degli angeli", and meets the sweet voice of Erica Mou in "La vita segreta", a romantic pop-rap track complete with strings. Amid the layering of cultural references, at times a bit difficult to digest, the vibrant emotion of "Grande città" emerges, as does the perhaps most moving track dedicated to the complex theme of immigration: in "Minuscola", a weeping piano glides over a suffering boom bap while the tragic story of Yaguine Koita and Fodé Tounkara is told — two children who froze to death in 1999 after hiding in the landing gear of a plane from Guinea bound for Brussels.

The romantic, gently melancholic, and subtly decadent figure of "Flaneur", a Parisian vignette sketched with Ivana Lcx, is another moment that highlights Murubutu’s growth compared to his earlier, more didactic albums.

Not that this spirit has entirely disappeared — just listen to "Nora e James", about the love story between Nora Barnacle and James Joyce, one of the tracks where a certain lack of originality in some beats is more evident, or the somewhat didactic aspects of the New York vignette "Il deserto a NYC", with old-school scratches enlivening a dystopian, science fiction narrative that isn't particularly original. There is also the history lesson in hardcore-hip-hop format of "La caduta di Costantinopoli", complete with somewhat predictable funeral tolls.

The most original and contemporary production can be found in "451", further enriched by Danno's participation: a tribal and mechanical beat, delivery that becomes aggressive, and a menacing, obsessive chorus.

Murubutu alternates mind and heart, brushing through different eras and worlds, and thanks also to the fundamental contribution of female voices, he manages to guide us through more than 55 minutes of concept without tiring. His rarely creative beats and chronic lack of self-irony and true lightness are forgiven. Little — especially "Minuscola", "Flaneur", and "451" — deserves to be among his best tracks, also because no upheaval has occurred in the overall sound or in his mature idea of literary hip-hop. It is an acquired taste, and if you are already accustomed and passionate, you might increase the score by one point. The title references a small book by Suketu Mehta.

12/03/2025