"Tutto andrà bene" is an attempt at raising awareness The new song by Fabri Fibra talks about revenge porn and mental health

We often, actually, very often, talk about rappers who are misogynistic, homophobic, disrespectful, aggressive, and politically incorrect. Born in the early '90s, I’ve heard this conversation hundreds of times on TV, in the media, in comment sections. Underneath it all, maybe there’s just a fundamental lack of understanding of the genre and its stylistic codes, and maybe also a touch of superficiality. It’s true that many rappers use strong imagery for shock value, and some poses are outdated and no longer productive. But in the middle of it all, there’s a sea of old-school and new-school rappers and trappers who still take a socially aware approach, trying - as in the good old days - to interpret a reality that is fluid, complex, and impossible to simplify. One example? Fabri Fibra. Let me explain.

Tutto andrà bene: meaning of Fabri Fibra’s song

In the new album by Fabri Fibra, titled "Mentre Los Angeles brucia" and released the night between June 19 and 20, among the rapper from Senigallia’s usual curses against smartphones, today’s youth, the Italian rap scene, colleagues, friends, exes, enemies and within his now signature pessimism (see: “Figlio”), there’s one track that stands out, both musically and lyrically. It’s called "Tutto andrà bene" (“Everything Will Be Fine”), and it feels like a fairy tale without a happy ending. The song, told from the perspective of someone who is, unfortunately, nearly fifty years old (born in 1976), talks about mental health among young people (more or less high school-aged), using two examples. One is Anna, a victim of revenge porn by her ex-boyfriend. The other is Marco, a victim of bullying who ends up isolating himself. Both characters take their own lives. The chorus is a heartfelt prayer, a sort of message we should send to friends and people we know who are withdrawing socially, overwhelmed by shame.

After Rkomi, Fabri Fibra also offers his take on mental health, an attempt at awareness that doesn’t start from himself (and when it does, it’s much harsher and less constructive than in this case), but from real-life stories and observations of youth culture. It’s well-intentioned and aims to be helpful, but it inevitably comes off as distant and out of touch. The result, as a long-time fan of the artist and the person, is like an uncle at Christmas dinner: oversimplifying, giving advice that would only work if life were linear, if adolescence weren’t so complicated, someone who no longer understands today’s youth, who tries, but doesn’t quite make it. Still, I respect the effort. I observe the evolution, the sensitivity, the attempt. Because at the end of the day, trying is all we can do. And if there’s anyone who knows that, it’s Fabri Fibra.

Tutto andrà bene – Lyrics from Fabri Fibra's new song