Of Silvio, rappers and plagiarism

Silvio's songs may please many  --

but also upset somebody  ...

New judicial troubles at the horizon for former Italian PM and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi? 

As the readers of this Blog will be well aware, in the past few years Berlusconi has been involved in several trials before various Italian courts.  Now there are also rumours of an imminent lawsuit being brought against him by Italian rapper J.Ax, former member of rap duo Articolo 31 and brother of singer Grido from Gemelli Diversi.



After resigning as PM in November last, Berlusconi has been busy - inter alia - re-organising his (political) party PDL (Popolo della Libertà) in view of this spring's local administrative elections, due to be held in several Italian regions.  To bring some fresh air and hope to his supporters, yesterday Berlusconi announced the release of a new official anthem for his party.

J.Ax seems not so keen 

on being plagiarised

This anthem is to be entitled Gente di Libertà ("People of Freedom") and contains such lines: "Noi siamo il Popolo della Libertà, gente che spera, che lotta e che crede nel sogno della libertà" ("We are the People of Freedom, people who hope, fight and believe in the dream of freedom"). The anthem has not been played yet but has made J.Ax furious. 



Yesterday night the rapper argued via Twitter ("Domani denuncio Berlusconi. Buonanotte. Incredibile c..." - "Tomorrow I am suing Berlusconi. Goodnight. Unbelievable f...k") that Gente di Libertà has plagiarised the lines of Articolo 31's 2002 song Gente Che Spera ("People Who Hope"), whose refrain contains the words "gente che spera" repeated several times.

Let's wait and see what J.Ax eventually decides to do. Will Silvio be among the "people who hope" not to be sued?