Vegas Jones opens the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of trap
In 2016, Italian trap stopped being an underground phenomenon and transformed into a generational language. Ten years later, that historical moment is ready to be celebrated as a true golden age. The first signal comes from Vegas Jones, who announced “Chic Nisello 2“, a direct sequel to his cult mixtape “Chic Nisello”, released in 2016 and which over time has become one of the most recognizable manifestos of Milanese street aesthetics. The new chapter will be presented Sunday 17 May with the “Chic Nisello 2 Night Listening Experience” at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Cinisello Balsamo, almost symbolically closing a circle opened ten years ago.
But Vegas Jones seems to be just the beginning. Because 2026 is preparing to become the year of Italian trap nostalgia, with a long series of fundamental albums that will reach the tenth anniversary milestone. Records that not only defined a scene, but that changed the way of rap in Italy, transforming languages, imagery and even the record market. A celebration that takes the virtual cover of playlist which you can find below and which you can listen to on “play”.
Among the most awaited birthdays there is certainly “Sfera Ebbasta“, the first official album by Sfera Ebbasta. Released in 2016, that album represented the definitive consecration of Italian trap in the mainstream: hits that became generational anthems, international productions and an aesthetic that would influence an entire musical decade. Today it seems almost obvious to see trap dominating charts and festivals, but at the time Sfera’s success was a cultural revolution even before a musical one.
2026 will also mark the tenth anniversary of the symbolic trilogy of Dark Polo Gang: “Crack Music”, “Ginger Juice” and “The Dark Album”. Three projects that transformed DPG into a pop phenomenon capable of dividing critics and audiences, but also of anticipating trends that later became dominant. Between slang, nihilistic irony and hypnotic melodies, Wayne Santana, Tony Effe, Pyrex and Dark Side redefined the Italian urban imagination long before it became fashionable.
And then there is “Santeria“, the joint album by Marracash and Guèone of the most important projects in the recent history of Italian rap. A record that managed to combine writing, street attitude and international vision, immediately becoming a classic. The two artists will celebrate the tenth anniversary with two event shows 12 and 13 September in Milandestined to transform into a gigantic collective reunion for those who experienced that season in real time.
It’s also ten years old.”Dasein Sollen” Of Rkomia mixtape that photographed an artist still far from today’s pop star but already capable of showing a personal, restless writing deeply linked to the Milanese suburbs. Listening to it again today means returning to a moment in which Italian rap was looking for new identities, before the boundaries between urban and pop became definitively liquid.
We also think about celebrating that unrepeatable vintage Universal Music Italywhich launches the “2016X Collection”a special collection dedicated to some of the most iconic rap and trap releases of 2016. The initiative – all the details here – will not be limited to celebratory reissues: with the purchase of at least one of the albums in the collection, fans will have access to an “exclusive experience” entirely dedicated to 2016, scheduled in Milan from 5 to 7 June 2026. More details on the event will be revealed soon.
In short, 2026 will not just be a year of anniversaries. It will be the celebration of a generation that transformed Italian rap from a niche scene to the center of contemporary pop culture. And while the artists prepare sequels, celebratory lives and reunions, it becomes increasingly clear how 2016 was an unrepeatable turning point: the year in which Italian trap stopped asking for permission.
