99 Posse
Gritty Neapolitan raggamuffin and dub-heavy hip-hop. Intense, politically charged anthems that feel like a midnight protest in a Mediterranean back-alley.
Gritty Neapolitan raggamuffin and dub-heavy hip-hop. Intense, politically charged anthems that feel like a midnight protest in a Mediterranean back-alley.
99 Posse sounds like the heartbeat of a city that refuses to be silenced. It is a thick, humid blend of deep Jamaican dub basslines, sharp Neapolitan dialect, and the industrial clatter of 90s European electronic music. The sound is inherently communal, born from the 'Centri Sociali' movement, carrying the weight of the street and the echo of the dancehall. It is music that feels both ancient in its folk-like storytelling and futuristic in its embrace of breakbeats and trip-hop textures.
What truly sets them apart is the friction between 'O Zulù's aggressive, rhythmic delivery and the occasionally ethereal, melodic counterpoints provided by Meg. This vocal duality sits atop production that is intentionally murky and saturated, favoring analog warmth and heavy reverb over sterile studio polish. Their commitment to the 'prezzo politico' isn't just a gimmick; it’s baked into the raw, uncompromised energy of the recordings themselves, which prioritize message and movement over commercial sheen.
To understand their impact, start with 'Curre Curre Guagliò'. It is the definitive manifesto of Italian underground culture, blending reggae skanks with urgent street poetry. If you want to hear their sonic evolution into darker, more complex territory, 'Corto Circuito' offers a masterclass in how to fuse political rage with sophisticated drum 'n' bass and dub production.
99 Posse is an Italian hip hop/reggae group from Naples. It raps both in Italian and in the local Neapolitan language. Most of 99 Posse's songs deal with political or social issues, and the group members are considered left-wing hardliners. As a showing of their activism, all of the group's albums have been released with a prezzo politico ("political price"): each CD displays a sticker saying "Don't pay more than...". For 99 Posse, this means "putting into practice a specific understanding about their relationship with the market, a sort of ideal practice". The group has gained popularity in Italy through its songs and its voicing of progressive political causes. Its first album, Curre Curre Guagliò (1993), was mainly influenced by reggae and world music. Subsequent albums, Cerco Tiempo (1996) and Corto Circuito (1998), included new styles like drum 'n bass and trip hop. Curre Curre Guaglio was self-produced but rose from its underground status to become an iconic album and cultural manifesto that eventually inspired the film Sud by Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores. The group also has its own record label, Novenove, which works to promote underground artists. On 18 July 2009, they came back without Meg in Naples during a concert created by movements against repression and the blocking of 21 activists for G8 in Turin's university.
Shares analog warmth, sample based, lo fi (production style); dub, reggae fusion, conscious hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares trip-hop, drum and bass, dub (subgenres); sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style)
Shares urban night, basement show, fog (atmosphere); dub, reggae fusion, trip-hop (subgenres)
Shares sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); basement show, urban night, dive bar (atmosphere)
Shares urban night, dive bar, basement show (atmosphere); sample based, analog warmth, lo fi (production style)
Shares sample based, lo fi, drum machine (production style); dub, reggae fusion, drum and bass (subgenres)
Shares sample based, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); urban night, basement show, dive bar (atmosphere)
Shares drum and bass, dub, reggae fusion (subgenres); sample based, analog warmth, lo fi (production style)
Shares dub, reggae fusion, rap, conscious hip-hop (signature)
Shares dub, reggae fusion, trip-hop, chanting (signature)
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