Italy-based outfit Machete, also known as Machete Crew, rose to prominence throughout Italian-speaking parts of Europe via a string of mixtapes that opened with the 2012 project Machete Mixtape. The fourth volume of that series entered at the summit of the Italian album chart when it surfaced in 2019.
The crew’s debut project appeared in 2012 via their self-run Machete Empire Records imprint, showcasing founding members Enigma, El Raton, and Salmo together with additional contributors. Greater commercial traction arrived the same year with Machete Mixtape, Vol. 2, which drew established DJs such as Fritz da Cat and Belzebass along with rappers including Bassi Maestro. Concurrently, Machete initiated another series through DJ Slait’s Bloody Vinyl Mixtape, Vol. 1, also released in 2012.
Teaming with Epic, Machete Mixtape, Vol. 3 landed in 2014 and spotlighted the core trio alongside Jake the Smoker, Nitro, and Rasty Kilo, among further guests. DJ Slait’s Bloody Vinyl, Vol. 2 followed in 2015 while several collective members pursued individual projects.
The group reunited in 2019 for Machete Mixtape 4. Issued jointly by Epic and Machete Empire that July, the set reached the Top 20 in Switzerland and claimed the top spot in Italy, where it held the summit for eight weeks.
HO PAURA DI USCIRE 2 (prod. Mace)EMACHETE MIXTAPE 4 · 2019MACHETE MIXTAPE 42:57
DIO DENAROECANTERA MACHETE, VOL. II · 2022CANTERA MACHETE, VOL. II3:09
CLICK CLACKECANTERA MACHETE, VOL. I · 2021CANTERA MACHETE, VOL. I2:49
