Shablo’s “manifesto”: “I don’t point to the mainstream and numbers”

“This record does not aim for the mainstream, but to niches of enthusiasts of a certain sound. It is a tribute to the music of my origins, to that black music that has done and acts as a load -bearing column of what we listen to today. But those roots, by many guys, are not known. I think it is right to re -emerge. The disc, just as it is structured, is a sort of provocation”. Shablo describes thus “manifesto”, his producer album to be released on Friday 4 June, which has several collaborations in 17 tracks inside. “I have no problem saying that in the past I have created projects or have helped to make them realize with much more reasoning, with strategy, thinking about the results. Here all this is absent,” he continues. A taste of the album was “My word”, the piece presented at the last edition of the Sanremo Festival with Tormento, Joshua and Gué: “He was reflected because he ended up under the lens, but it is certainly not a ranking piece”.

How did you work?
The album was born musically in three sessions for ten days in San Gimignano, in Tuscany. I needed to detach from my work as a manager, that’s why we went there. Today we work a lot for Reference, and okay, we would miss it, but sometimes you risk the discoveries. There are many quotes on my album. Joshua, in addition to the multi -instrumentalist Luca Faraone, has always been present during the processing, many pieces were born from his melodies. Once the song was closed, I sent it to the artist I wanted to involve, I was immediately very convinced of who was the right name for certain tracks.

How would you describe “Manifesto”?
It is my first solo project, as a “artist” let’s say. A disc not guided by the anxiety of the result. We are all ambitious, we want to get to as many people as possible, but this at most is a consequence, not the goal. For the new generations it has a sound so tied to the past that it could be new. The hip hop has in its DNA to take references from what has been there. For those of my generation it can be almost vintage.

Why do you speak “provocation”? What would be “provocative” in?
I was one of the first to bring the trap to Italy, now everything goes in that direction at the mainstream level. There is a need to rebalance. Mine is a provocation because there is the desire to go in a different direction. The disc is very rich, it is a journey into black music, but not only. There are many tools played, various solos and moments of breath, something more and more rare in the urban pieces. But there is nothing passatist or museum.

Do you feel you play a role in this “rediscovery” process?
I don’t want to change my language to get to many. In the past I did it, here no. It is a way to make a varied universe known to the new generations. What comes in the standings is a small part of rap, of the urban world. Some guys from today do not know the Wu-Tang and mixed blood. I don’t want to stand by master, I don’t want to teach anyone anything, but I think it is necessary to remember the roots of this culture.

Joshua is your Virgil.
Joshua acts as a Fil Rouge to the whole project. He got involved. It has a background of African American music, also for its origins. But there is not only him. Tormento is my amulet, a teacher who deserves space even today. Gué is the godfather of the project as evidenced by the collaboration between our new Oyster and Island label. There is also Mimì, who has a crazy voice, is only 18 years old. These are some of the protagonists.

Black Music, but not only.
Yes, “a thousand problems” is Latin, but dark, it is not the summer reggaeton. “What’s the story?” With Nayt, Joshua and Joan Thiele is another still musical planet, he is acoustic, with the flutes of Michele Lazzarini, a great musician who unfortunately has recently been missing and on this album, in several moments, he left his musical testament. “Karma Loop”, in which there is also Ele A, is more rap, such as “Welcome to the Jungle” where the Ernia-Nesta couple stands out and “The One” with Noyz Narcos.

You also made peace with Inoki.
“Imagine” with Inoki was born a long time ago when we both lived in Bologna, but it seems written today, it is a political piece. Ours was a difficult and conflicting relationship, it was nice to meet us again. But there is more. “You can touch me”, a new version of the song that you produce for Gué in 2013, taken from “Bravo boy”, has three rap stanzas, lasts over four minutes. Today the songs last just over two minutes. It is the first R&B and Soul piece that I produced with Gué and Torento, with the addition, to this tour of Joshua who went to school at the time of the original release. On the disc there are also Roy Woods, a Canadian artist who is part of Drake’s clique, and Yellowstraps, who has recently signed a piece with Nelly thefto: are two international collaborations.

“Manifesto” is exhausted here?
There will probably be a sequel, I will add songs.

The Street Jazz Tour will leave on July 3rd.
In the live there will always be Joshua, torment and Mimì and many musicians. Half live will be on the disc, the other half will be a tribute to a world with references to Lauryn Hill, James Brown and others. The special date at the Arcimboldi in Milan, on November 12, will instead have many guests and surprises.

Has the perception of the producers changed?
Today the producer albums are no longer counted. At one time it was not so, I did with Don Joe one of the first new generation producer albums, “Thori & Rocce”, and there was still all the work carried out by Fritz by Cat. The producers today do the difference. Today they are like the directors of a movie. And I believe that many have understood it, for this reason yes, the perception is different.