This a sad day in not just the television industry, but the hip-hop music landscape as well. James Gandolfini, the award-winning actor best known for his role in HBO’s riveting drama The Sopranos, died last night while on vacation in Rome from a sudden stroke.
While the 51-year-old Gandolfini was admired for his many film and television roles across many different demographics, he was extremely revered in the hip-hop community for his performance as Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mob boss who balanced his criminal organization all the while trying to keep his family under control.
News of his death brought forth many condolences from mainstays in the rap game through social media networks, with the likes of mega-producer Jermaine Dupri, Hot 97 Radio Host Peter Rosenberg, rapper Action Bronson, and entrepreneur Russell Simmons, among others, all paying respects.
It’s often times like this where the sudden death of such a polarizing character offers us a chance to reflect on the impact that they’ve had on our culture.
A mobster for the millenial generation
I feel it is a fair comparison to call The Sopranos series The Godfather movie trilogy for the new millennials. So many hip-hop fans weren’t old enough to fully appreciate movies like The Godfather and Scarface, but The Sopranos gave us a different, more current perspective to the mafia lifestyle.
The comparisons between the rap game and the mob culture has been no secret over the years, from artists by the names of Scarface, Elliot Ness, and Capone to songs with titles like “Tony Montana” and “The Roc Boys.”
It’s simple; rappers often cite mob bosses as their inspiration for industry power and dominance. And it’s that inspiration that drew these artists to Gandolfini’s character. They related to his constant battle of balancing the image of the powerful mob boss of the biggest organized crime family in New Jersey with the quiet family man with a wife and two children. They related to how one man can have literally a man’s life in his hands in one aspect, but have to deal with his son’s drug habits or his daughter’s sex life back at home.
In the streets, he was “Boss.” At home, he was just Tony. As some rappers struggle to toe the line between their musical personas and the real individual behind the music, they looked to the Tony Soprano character for inspiration.
Few of us can really relate to a Tony Montana-type character, but we may very well know a Tony Soprano: a soft-spoken, well dressed but not gaudy “regular Joe” who manages his business with discretion and silent power.
In a sense, Tony Soprano was hip-hop, genre crossing and culturally defining, and legions upon legions of rap fans loved him for that.
A legacy enshrined on screen and in song
As the series came to a close, there was much talk of how the last episode ended; Soprano sitting in a diner, flipping through the jukebox with his family as the screen suddenly cuts to black.
Many fans thought that a Sopranos movie would be in the works. It’s sad to now know that if that vision were to be made a reality, that James Gandolfini won’t be a part of it.
I will say that the actor’s sudden departure will undoubtedly encourage to a new legion of fans to either rediscover or revisit the award-winning series, people who, just like me, want to see what all the fuss was about.
And if there’s any character who embodies what the hip-hop culture stands for, it’s the man they call “Boss”, Tony Soprano.
Rest in peace, Mr. Gandolfini, and know that your legacy will forever be enshrined in screen and song.
Cory Townes is a Digital Content Producer born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa. His work has been featured in The Grio, Vibe.com, and other media publications.
For more of his work, visit www.CoryTownes.com and follow him on Twitter at @CoryTownes.