99 Posse

On May 1, 1991, the "Centro sociale Officina 99" was founded in Naples and became the incubator for the group 99 Posse that same year. The group's first singles "Rafaniello" and "Salario Garantito" was instrumental in bringing rap and raggamuffin to Italian musical scene. The following year, 99 Posse joined forces with Neapolitan bands Almamegretta and Bisca to record the single "Sott'attacco dell'idiozia." It was from this close and dynamic colloboration that the super group Bisca99Posse came into being. 99 Posse's first full length album "Curre Curre Guagliò" was released in 1993 as a self-produced recording and, despite the fact that it was distributed underground, it went on to become a cultural manifesto with national ramifications. The album inspired Oscar award-winning director Gabriele Salvatores to make his film "Sud" BMG re-issued Curre Curre Guagliò in 1998. The group formed the record label, Novenove, that works to presents artists unable to make in the commercial music complex. The label released the compilation Cantanapoli Antifascista that brought together 10 of the most important Neapolitan groups in a musical assault on neofascism. Between 1995-98, Novenove released work by SergioMessina/RadioGladio, Speaker Cenzou, Balaperdida in addition the 99 Posse's recent recordings. All of 99 Posse's and Novenove's releases have been sold with a "prezzo politico" (political price). The sticker "Don't pay more than..." are promentantly displayed on the jewel cases. For 99 Posse, this means "putting into practice a specific understanding about their relationship with the market, a sort of ideal practice." The 1996 album Cerco Tiempo sold over 70,000 copies. It contains a collaborative remake of dub master Linton Kweesi Johnson's "Making History" (Facendo la storia) plus a CD-ROM. The group's 1998 release Corto Circuito was recorded in four intense months between in Naples, Turin, and London. 99 Posse: 'O Zulù aka Luca Persico - voice Meg aka Maria Di Donna - voice Kaya Pezz8 aka Marco Messina - dub master JRM aka Massimo Jovine - bass Sacha Ricci - keyboards source: http://www.italianrap.com/artists/artists_bios/99posse/index.html