Branding the “bandito influencer”: Studying cross-platform fame and deviance in the cases of Er Brasiliano and 1727wrldStar

Building on previous analysis of the “gangsta” identity on social media, this chapter investigates the construction and management of a criminal persona as a visibility strategy in influencer culture, observing how the deviant online celebrity is framed and leveraged by different media in the current cross-platform ecology. To this end, the chapter looks at the cases of two self-styled “criminal” Italian influencers, whose fame exploded during the 2020 lockdown: Algero Corretini, aka “1727wrldStar”, and Massimiliano Minnocci, aka “Er Brasiliano”. These two controversial celebrities are examples of “bandito influencers”, where the Italian word “bandito” is intended both as “street thug” and “banned” from a specific site or group. Combining literature from criminology, celebrity studies and internet studies, this chapter aims to fill a range of gaps. On the one hand, from a cultural criminology perspective, the online dynamics of celebrification and the link between crime and influencer culture have been scarcely investigated. On the other hand, celebrity studies and media studies addressed the theme of criminal deviance labelling primarily in relation to legacy media. With our account, we also wish to contribute a more localised perspective on the Italian context, which also appears to be understudied in these respects.