Clementino

Clemente Maccaro, widely recognized by the stage name Clementino, entered the world in 1982 as an Italian rapper and beatmaker who delivered verses in both Italian and Neapolitan. He first drew notice by prevailing in multiple freestyle contests, after which he issued his debut album, Napolimanicomio, on the Lynx Records imprint in 2006. The 2011 follow-up IENA (Io e Nessun Altro) ("I and No One Else") arrived after the single "La Mia Musica" ("My Music") and included guest spots from several established rappers, among them the American R.A. the Rugged Man; the project earned widespread praise from reviewers and listeners alike. Two years later Clementino teamed with Fabri Fibra to form the duo Rapstar, which put out Non È Gratis ("It's Not Free") in 2012. Early the next year he joined Dope One and beatmaker OLuWong—who had earlier worked with Italian rap acts Sud Sound System and NTO—to release the mixtape CD Armageddon. Weeks afterward Clementino unveiled the single "'O Vient" ("The Wind"), which led into his third solo album, Mea Culpa, issued on Fabri Fibra’s Tempi Duri label and handled worldwide by Universal.