Netflix has announced production of “Rhythm + Flow Italy” following the launches of the hip hop music competition in the U.S. and France.
The groundbreaking talent show that follows and nurtures aspiring rappers will be produced in Italy by Fremantle and feature Italian rappers Fabri Fibra, Geolier and Rose Villain in search of local artists that will make their mark on the Italian rap scene.
“Rhythm + Flow Italy” – which stands as testament to how Italy’s hip hop producers and artists have been pushing the boundaries of the genre and made Italy one of Europe’s largest hip hop markets – will be an 8-episode series available on Netflix in 2024.
The boom in Italian hip-hop culture can be traced to its emergence as a form of youth protest to Silvio Berlusconi’s government in the early 90s. More recently, Neapolitan rap has gained international renown as an integral part of the soundtrack of organized crime TV series “Gomorrah” which is Italy’s top TV export.
The show’s hosts will be searching for Italy’s next generation of hip hop talents starting from Rome, Naples and Milan that are considered the most representative cities for Italian rap. The winner of “Rhythm + Flow Italy” will pocket €100,000 ($106,000).
During the competition, the young Italian rappers will prove themselves with their freestyle skills, rap battles, and production of original songs. Throughout the show the three judges will be joined by other prominent representatives of the Italian rap scene “who will help define the outcome of the competition,” a Netflix statement said.
“Rhythm + Flow Italy” is being written by Dino Clemente, Matteo Lenardon, Paola Papa, Antonio Vicaretti and Chiara Guerra and will be directed by Alessio Muzi.