Naples – An act of vandalism hit the mural dedicated to Geolier, one of the most loved and listened to rappers on the Italian music scene, in the heart of the Gescal district, a neighborhood between Secondigliano and Miano where the artist was born and raised.
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The singer's face, depicted next to that of Diego Armando Maradona, was covered with white paint. The discovery dates back to Saturday morning, but it is likely that the gesture was made the previous night.
The work, created in 2024 by street artist Filospray, portrays Geolier (aka Emanuele Palumbo) together with the legendary “Pibe de Oro”, in a tribute that unites the history of the neighborhood with the career of the young rapper.
Curiously, the vandalism spared the rest of the mural: only Geolier's face was defaced, leaving the iconic figure of Maradona intact.
The vandals only covered Geolier's face without touching Maradona
A small mystery, but in the neighborhood there is a tendency to downplay the incident. “Here everyone loves him,” say the residents, convinced that it was a simple prank or an act of vandalism in and of itself, not directed against the rapper.
Filospray, the artist who created the mural, has already promised to fix it: “We will do it again soon,” he announced on social media, calling the incident “a slap in the heart of the Gescal neighborhood.”
The mural, created on February 1, 2024, a few days before the participation of Geolier at the Sanremo Festival, it is located at the door of the small club at III Traversa Cupa Capodichino, a symbolic place for the neighborhood and for the rapper himself, who spent his adolescence here.
Street artist Filospray promised: “We’ll do it again soon”
The work celebrates not only his music – with a reference to the song “I p' me, tu p' te”, which came in second at Sanremo and immediately entered the hit parade – but also the bond between Geolier and the neighborhood, through a tribute to Maradona's superstitious ritual: the kiss on the forehead of the masseur Salvatore Carmando before matches with Napoli.
Born in 2000, Geolier has established himself as one of the most followed Italian artists already at the age of twenty. After his success at Sanremo, he left the Gescal district, where his family still lives, to move to a villa with a swimming pool in nearby Pozzuoli. But the bond with the neighborhood remains strong, as demonstrated by the affection of the residents and the indignation for the act of vandalism.
The neighborhood's outrage over the vandalism
“Emanuele doesn’t deserve this, the neighborhood doesn’t deserve this,” Filospray wrote on social media. “We don’t know who did it, but we know that you hurt so many people, adults and children, lovers of this mural. Don’t worry, Geolier will come to life again”. Meanwhile, in the Gescal neighborhood, they expect to see the rapper’s face shine again on the wall that celebrates him, along with the story of a neighborhood that continues to believe in his talents.
Article published on March 2, 2025 - 20pm
This vandalism is a bad thing and should not happen. Geolier deserves respect, like all artists. I hope the mural is redone quickly, because it means so much to us in the Gescal neighborhood.
It's sad that such a vandalism could happen in a neighborhood that loves its artist. Residents say it's a prank, but I think it's disrespectful to the local culture and Geolier's talent.
It's a real shame that things like this happen in our neighborhood. The mural was a beautiful celebration for Geolier and Maradona, now it seems all ruined. Let's hope Filospray can fix this situation soon.
It is really sad that something like this can happen, the mural was a symbol for the neighborhood and especially for Geolier. We hope that Filospray can fix this and bring back the face of Geolier as it was before. This is unacceptable.
remainsinpreagreat