Sfera Ebbasta - Sfera Ebbasta

Released on September 9 via Def Jam Recordings, Sfera Ebbasta constructs a soundscape that formalizes the rise of trap rap in Italy, marking the transition from a career built between 2011 and 2012 on YouTube to mainstream recognition. This eponymous debut album is preceded by the successes of the singles BRNBQ, Cartine Cartier, and Figli di papà, the first of which was certified gold for 25,000 copies sold.

Narrative symmetry of an eleven-track album

The album's narrative structure is based on a rigorous symmetry, where each end frames the listening experience of a pioneer. The album opens with track 1, Equilibrio, immediately setting the tone for the eleven-track opus.

BRNBQ and Figli di papà: the anticipated successes that validate the status of a pioneer

The commercial anchoring of the project is carefully prepared through certifications obtained even before the official release, proving that the audience was waiting for this consolidation. The title BRNBQ has already obtained the gold record certification for 25,000 copies sold, validating the potential of the sound that will be explored on the 2016 album. Furthermore, the title Figli di papà is certified platinum for 50,000 copies sold, consolidating the position of an artist capable of generating tangible success in the year of release. These two key tracks from the catalog preceding the official release serve as the foundation for an album that merely formalizes a popularity already underway, without however summarizing the entirety of the artist's discography or attempting to inflate the numbers.

Artistic alliance with SCH on Balenciaga and Cartine Cartier

The collaborative dimension of the album is marked by two specific tracks that seal a major artistic alliance with the rapper SCH, confirmed by the credits for just two appearances out of eleven tracks. The collaboration is explicitly credited on Balenciaga feat. SCH, where the presence of the Italian artist on the eponymous album reinforces his influence in France and Italy. Furthermore, the track Cartine Cartier feat. SCH also appears in the list of singles that preceded the release of the eponymous album, a track produced by Charlie Charles and DJ Kore and released as a promotional single during Sfera Ebbasta's appearance on SCH's album Anarchie on that track. The eponymous album thus serves as a sounding board for this encounter that marked the Italian artist's career, without, however, including any other collaborators or uncredited tracks. Sfera Ebbasta, whose real name is Gionata Boschetti and who was born on December 7, 1992 in Sesto San Giovanni, Lombardy, became known in France thanks to his appearance on the rapper SCH's album Anarchie on the track Cartine Cartier. He then appeared on Booba's track "Téléphone" and Gims's track "Mamacita", before a second collaboration with SCH on "Soldi Famiglia". This trajectory demonstrates how the artist built his international identity, moving from the underground to the mainstream. The reloaded version of XDVR is distributed nationwide and features a list of unreleased tracks, including XDVRMX (with Marracash and Luchè) and Ciny, which is accompanied by a music video, while Trap Kings appears in the list of unreleased tracks. The release of the eponymous album on September 9, 2016, therefore marks a stage of maturity, consolidating the popularization of the trap genre in Italy initiated by this first project. This artistic trajectory confirms the evolution of an artist who built his reputation through YouTube posts as early as 2011 and 2012, before the collaboration with producer Charlie Charles transformed this emerging scene into a major urban phenomenon recognized by the major labels. Sfera Ebbasta's anchoring on the international scene is further confirmed by other notable appearances beyond the collaborations with SCH, notably on Booba's track "Téléphone" and Gims's track "Mamacita". These participations testify to an openness towards France even before the release of his first full-length studio album. The structure of this definitive album, distributed by Def Jam Recordings in collaboration with Universal, is distinguished by its list of eleven tracks that closes a pivotal period between free downloading and large-scale national distribution, thus officializing the rise of a pioneer whose catalog is constantly expanding to reach a status of reference in the Italian trap scene. This project marks the transition from the web to the major label thanks to critical success and gold and platinum records obtained before the release. The release of this album coincides with a television promotion, featuring on the show Matrix Chiambretti on C, which accentuates the visibility of a record whose previous singles had already proven their commercial effectiveness. The legacy of this first eponymous studio album lies in its ability to establish the trap genre in Italy, with production spearheaded by Charlie Charles and founding collaborations with SCH that seal a lasting presence on the international urban scene.

Technical details

- Release date : September 9, 2016 - Label : Def Jam Recordings - Tracks : 11 - Opening / closing : Equilibrio / BHMG - Guest artists : SCH