Replay! GFELLA Offers Hip Hop Ode to Linda Scarpa

By Ed Scarpo 0 Comments


I had watched a few episodes of GThing, G-Fella's 11pm Saturday night half-hour show on the FUSE network, before I noticed it. Then when I did notice it, I was like, holy crap. I didn't recognize him or something but all of a sudden I realized the dude that G was calling Uncle Ralph was Ralph Altro; I knew the guy! It was a lifetime ago, in Bayside, Queens.

Ralph, if you are reading this, salud, my friend!

Then, on the last episode, I saw Ralph's wife, who I also knew, for, like, years! So Ralph, tell Maria I said, salud! Maria is one tough broad; if anyone can keep a wiseguy like Ralph in line, it's Maria. She's Albanian, like Drita from Mob Wives. Nuff said!


Why do I write this? Because I wanted to repost this post from last year, or maybe the year before, in honor of G-Fella and all his paisans on the show, which is on tonight. I am running his song, "Little Linda" because I think it's his best song -- and I also know Linda and like her a helluva lot.

The rest of the post is from the original item:  I was blown away when I heard this song "Little Linda" about Linda "Scarpa" Schiro. I have never been much into Italian or any other kind of hip hop; I even write for Mob Candy, which is always writing about this genre, especially this dude GFELLA, who wrote and sang and put together the video montage above, which you can also find on You Tube.

I spoke to Linda for comment and she couldn't contain her excitement for GFELLA, as well as his promoter Vinny Stucatz, "The Positive Paisan" -- and it is the positive message of the song and GFELLA that made her so pleased with a song not only dedicated to her, but about her, by one of the pioneering members of Italian-American hip hop, a term that basically denotes "rapping" by Italians; I am an old soldier, a classic rock type of guy who also digs Sinatra. I recall the inflamed 1980s, the early days of the genre, which was then widely associated with a single ethnic group and glorified -- or in many cases, misunderstood to glorify -- violence, narcotics, murder and mayhem, until it went mainstream and exploded.

But as Eminem, as well as guys like GFELLA, have long shown, hip hop is a vital genre of music not limited to any single race or creed, and in addition to making for great music, it can serve as a vehicle for all sorts of social messages.

Or a person, like Linda Scarpa, who to say has had a rough life would be an understatement; her father, known as the "Grim Reaper," killed a lot of people, and even brought the evil umbrella of the Mafia over the Scarpa home, in which lived his wife and children. I have written much about him and Linda; search the site if you are interested in reading up on them.

Rappers have long been known to celebrate certain individuals, and GFELLA had written songs about other Italians, as well as Linda.

Here is some basics about GFELLA, culled from his site:

Hailing from Westchester NY, G Fella is "the first Italian-American rapper to make a significant impact in the world of hip hop."

"With his genuine Italian swag that resonates poetry from his lips to our ears, and his organic story of a kid growing up in a “goodfella” lifestyle and embarking on a journey through Hip Hop to pave the way for a new cultural influence, he’s already started to take his audience by storm!

"G Fella got his initial start under the direction of Queen Latifah during her merger with EMI. He’s been featured on the multi-platinum selling soundtracks like “Romeo Must Die,” with his group Confidential, “Brown Sugar,” and “Bringing Down the House.” After the release of a compilation entitled “100% Haterproof,” he emerged to the forefront with performances on The Wayne Brady Show, The Apollo Theater, The NFL Show, How You Livin’, Rap City, and “106 and Park.” G Fella took on the position of writer/producer to head up the Carmine Gotti (C Gotti) project for Left Field Ent., a new venture by Dee Dean (owner of Ruff Ryders).

G Fella has also produced his own independent film, called CREW. "Just like Eminem has “8 Mile”, 50 Cent has “Get Rich, Die Trying”, Jay Z has “Streets is Watching”, CREW is his story. Having a natural knack behind the camera, G Fella produces and directs most of his own videos."

"Currently, he has finished his album “G FELLA PART 1 HOW YOU DOIN’?” with producer and good friend Suits. Along with Myq Success and Suits, G Fella started TRACKATEERING INC. a breath of fresh air to the world of music and business. Moments away from inking the most ingenious deal the industry’s ever seen and negotiations from top television broadcast stations volleying for the opportunity to chronicle GFella’s history and rise to success, we are all fortunate enough to be witness to something magical."

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