Dark Polo Gang is an Italian trap musical group from Rome founded by Tony Effe, Side Baby, Wayne Santana and Dark Pyrex in 2014.

DPG
OriginRome, Italy
Genres
Years active2014–present
LabelsTriplosette Entertainment
Members
  • Tony Effe (Antonio Fendi)
  • Dark Pyrex (Principe Pyrex)
  • Wayne Santana
  • Side Baby
Websitewww.darkpologang.com

Dark Polo Gang is known to have emerged to fame without the help or support of a major, having produced music tracks and video clips independently. They rely on an emerging independent record label called Triplosette Entertainment, of which all contributors are none other than the members of the Gang, longtime friends.[1]

Most of their publications were produced by the Italian American beatmaker Sick Luke, considered the fourth member of the group.

History of the group edit

The four initial members of the group, Arturo Bruni (Dark Side), Nicolò Rapisarda (Tony Effe), Dylan Thomas Cerulli (Dark Pyrex or Principe Pyrex) and Umberto Violo (Dark Wayne or Wayne Santana),[2] have known each other since childhood growing up in the affluent neighborhoods of Rome (Rione Monti, Trastevere, Campo de 'Fiori).[3] During adolescence they start rapping for fun until Sick Luke, the son of Duke Montana, convinced them to produce some songs seriously.[3] On 22 May 2018, the father of Arturo Bruni (Dark Side) announced the withdrawal from the group of the latter and the beginning of his solo career.

In 2015 the first mixtape called Full Metal Dark was released, available for free download, followed by three individual albums: Crack musica by Tony and Side, Wayne's Succo di zenzero and Pyrex's The Dark Album.[4]

In 2017 the album Twins was released, which debuted at the top of the FIMI Album Ranking.[5] In August 2017 the single Caramelle was certified platinum by FIMI, while Cono Gelato and Sportswear were certified gold records by the same body.[6]

In 2018 the DarkSide's mixtape came out, entirely produced by Sick Luke, called Sick Side.

The first album without Dark side was released 28 September 2018, and it's called Trap Lovers, and it is produced by Sick Luke, Chris Nolan and Michele Canova lorfida .

Issues edit

Under a veiled self-irony, the core of the texts sung by the group consists of a critique of modern rap, now known to everyone. The Gang, moreover, deals with globalization and the need to adapt to its rules to become rich and famous, which has always been the sole objective of the Gang itself. Drugs, the underworld, the passion for fashion, money and love are among the issues mainly dealt with by the group. Using a flow based on assonance, it is usual to use terms belonging to juvenile slang and typical trap sounds, various references to the cult characters of real life and neologisms belonging to the "alien" world of which they belong and which define themselves as such.[7][8][3]

Disputes edit

Despite the growing and now achieved success, the Dark Polo Gang is also very criticized and mocked on the web by most of the Italian hip hop supporters. The main causes of this are the lack of content, the 'disconnected' phrases, apparently meaningless, and the attached non-closed rhymes that often appear in their texts. Distinguished by a constant arrogance and borderline attitudes, the use of scenarios and themes that, according to some, "do not belong" to what is really the origin of the Roman collective, is also strongly a source of criticism.[9][10]

The Dark Polo Gang received dissing from various rappers, including: Achille Lauro,[11] Gemitaiz,[12] Inoki[13] and Shade.[14]

Members edit

  • Dark Side – voice (2014–2018)
  • Tony Effe – voice (2014–present)
  • Pyrex – voice (2014–present)
  • Wayne – voice (2014–present)
  • Sick Luke – producer (2014–present)

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

  • 2017 – Twins (Tony Effe, Wayne)
  • 2018 – Trap Lovers (Tony Effe, Wayne, Pyrex)
  • 2020 – Dark Boys Club (Tony Effe, Wayne, Pyrex)

Mixtapes edit

  • 2015 – Full Metal Dark (Tony Effe, Wayne Santana, Pyrex, Side)
  • 2016 – Crack Musica (Tony Effe, Side)
  • 2016 – Succo di zenzero (Wayne Santana)
  • 2016 – The Dark Album (Pyrex)
  • 2018 – Sick Side (Side)
  • 2020 - Dark Boys Club (Tony Effe, Wayne Santana, Pyrex)

Singles edit

  • 2014 – Ghost Track
  • 2014 – Grenoble
  • 2014 – Terra bruciata
  • 2014 – Hypervenom
  • 2014 – Branco di iene
  • 2015 – Ciaga
  • 2015 – Chiudi quella porta
  • 2015 – Totti e De Rossi
  • 2015 – Numeri uno
  • 2015 – Toro meccanico
  • 2015 – Toro bravo
  • 2015 – Terra
  • 2015 – Daytona in cella
  • 2015 – Non si vede
  • 2016 – Cosa?
  • 2016 – Sportswear
  • 2017 – Spezzacuori
  • 2017 – Magazine
  • 2017 – Caramelle (feat. Peachwalnut)
  • 2018 – British
  • 2018 – Cambiare adesso

References edit

  1. ^ "Guarda La Nuova Scuola: Roma Dark". Noisey (in Italian). 2017-08-07. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  2. ^ "I piskelletti della Dark Polo Gang | The Brockford Post". The Brockford Post (in Italian). 2017-04-03. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  3. ^ a b c "Che cos'è la Dark Polo Gang?". Noisey (in Italian). 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  4. ^ "Dark Polo Gang – Discografia – Album – Compilation – Canzoni e brani". Rockit.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  5. ^ "In vetta hit parade Dark Polo Gang – Ultima Ora". ANSA.it (in Italian). 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  6. ^ "FIMI – Certificazioni – FIMI". www.fimi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  7. ^ Martellini, Laura. "I pischelli del rap, la "rivoluzione" Dark Polo Gang". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  8. ^ "Capire la Dark Polo Gang". Rockit.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  9. ^ "Per favore, smettiamo tutti in coro di parlare della Dark Polo Gang" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  10. ^ "Finalmente sono uscito dal tunnel della Dark Polo Gang". GQ Italia (in Italian). 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  11. ^ "Il dissing fra Tony DPG e Boss Doms: meglio la collana d'oro o la cinta del marocchino?". Hano.it Rap Hip Hop & Magazine (in Italian). 2017-05-09. Archived from the original on 2017-07-29. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  12. ^ "Gemitaiz vs Dark Polo Gang ? Cosa c'è di concreto ? (video + commenti) – Mondo Rap". Mondo Rap (in Italian). 2016-10-23. Archived from the original on 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  13. ^ "Inoki: "La Dark Polo Gang mi fa tenerezza" – Mondo Rap". Mondo Rap (in Italian). 2016-05-18. Archived from the original on 2017-07-28. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  14. ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2018-06-25.

External links edit