Two regions with unique cultures and traditions, far apart but united by a love of sound system music: tomorrow night, Corto Maltese will mark the beginning of a new saga for Unity & Culture, the historic reggae and related festival that from 2008 to 2017 popularized the genre in the south of the island thanks to cult selections and international guests, a benchmark for the local scene. Saturday night will also be the first of the monthly events organized by the IslaSound collective, in collaboration with the Cagliari venue.
The evening's theme will be "Salento Connection," and will feature two longtime IslaSound artists, Sista Namely and Anthony Screwface, taking the mic and sharing the stage with guests from Salento's Francaville Posse Sound System, Rocky G. Vox, and Cannell-One. The former is the alias of Rocky Nardelli, who began his career in 2009 as the frontman of Skalento, a band born from the fusion of a rock group and a dancehall duo. He later embarked on a solo career, releasing his self-produced debut "La Strada Mea" in 2014, gaining recognition for his distinctive, raspy timbre. The album caught the attention of Treble lu Professore, a former founding member of Sud Sound System, with whom he produced three albums.
And despite having a new group, The Dangeroots, Rocky continues to release solo works and perform at key festivals for the genre, such as the Rototom Sunsplash in Benicasim (Spain), continuing his social and artistic commitment to his homeland. This message is also shared by his posse partner Cannell-One and Daniele Cannalire, founder of the Francavilla sound system, which also deals with music through the organization of the "Trulli e Culture" events, which has brought reggae artists from the rest of Italy and abroad to Salento.
