NIGHTSKINNY

The continuous expansion of the Italian rap scene means producers are more in demand than ever. We owe the contemporary scene to the Italian producer Night Skinny, whose studio in Milan is frequented by almost every rapper in the country worth knowing. His place in the old era of production can be heard in the samples from which he composes his beats, although he goes beyond the boom bap style with his unique combinations of 808s, triplet-time hats and heavy kicks and snares. His series of producer albums was born out of the winning combination of tribal and exotic samples and 808s and trap drums; tapes which every Italian rapper, from old legends to newcomers, have tracks on, reflecting his discography’s generational change and influence. His latest album “Mattoni” (2019), grabbed the attention of the mainstream audience and broke the charts, with the help of features by rappers of all kinds and sub-genres, such as Italian veteran Gué Pequeno, new, alternative trap star Taxi B and contemporary pop-star Achille Lauro. Legendary artists, such as Noyz Narcos and Luche, are also now trusting him to produce their new tracks. We can regard Night Skinny as one of the founding fathers of the contemporary Italian rap scene, whose combination of old flavours and new sounds is a tribute to the past and a step into the future.