From the freestyle circuits of Milan to the spotlight of Netflix, Cuta ( Luca Olivari ) has carved out a name for himself as one of the most raw and authentic voices of Italy’s new rap generation.
Cuta
CREDITS
Talent: Cuta
Photo: Treelab
After winning Season 2 of Nuova Scena with his powerful and unfiltered storytelling, he’s not just riding the wave—he’s redefining it. In this interview, we talk about his journey, his creative process, and what’s next for the rapper who turned pain into punchlines.
How did it all start for you? What was your first contact with music, and when did you realize you wanted to be part of it?
My relationship with music began as a listener thanks to my older brother, who was already listening to rap with a friend when I was about 9 years old. Since then, I’ve pretty much never stopped following it.
As a “rapper,” I first started when I was fourteen, writing poetry. But those poems didn’t really connect much with people my age. Once I started going out more as a teenager, I realized I had a knack for freestyle. So I decided to turn those poems into rap tracks, that way, they could be more accessible to the world around me as a sixteen-year-old.
Were there any key moments or encounters that shaped your artistic and personal journey?
There were a lot of important encounters, mostly with other artists. I won’t list them all, so as not to disrespect anyone by leaving names out, but I won’t name any fellow rappers specifically.
One person I will mention is DJ MS, who started helping me out about three years ago and eventually became my official manager. Once he came on board, everything took a big step forward.
Do you feel more connected to the underground or the mainstream? How do you experience the boundary between the two?
I don’t really feel like I belong to either side in particular. I’d like my music to reach as many people as possible, but without having to change it just for the sake of doing that.
What does “hip hop culture” mean to you today? Do you think some values have been lost or are evolving?
What hip hop culture is, its disciplines and its history, is factual. It goes way beyond just rap. As for what the rap scene represents within hip hop, it’s definitely always evolving.
A kid might not know much about hip hop, but if say they offer a place to crash to someone who came from far away to take part in an event in their city... well, in doing that, they’re embracing a hip hop mindset, maybe even without realizing it.
How important is the way you dress to you? Is there a connection between your musical identity and your personal style?
I’ll be honest... I’ve always appreciated fashion and the imagery around how people dress, but when it came to myself, at least before Nuova Scena 2, I didn’t really lean into it much.
The increased exposure (so, the need to show yourself in a certain way) and the opportunities that came with it, like collaborations, including this one with CAT WWR, gave me the chance to explore that side of things more, too!
Looking ahead, what motivates you the most? Is there a goal or project you’re particularly focused on?
When I think about the future, what motivates me the most is the desire to keep getting better, riding the wave of excitement I feel now that I’m doing things that, even just a year ago, felt like a dream.
As for specific projects, I don’t want to reveal too much just yet... but we’re definitely working hard to make sure that a solid, full-length project can see the light of day this year.
