Fabri Fibra

Growing up without a strong sense of belonging among his contemporaries, Fabrizio Tarducci discovered his footing in the Italian hip-hop movement that took shape in the early 1990s through acts such as Sangue Misto, 99 Posse, Articolo 31, and Gemelli Diversi. Performing as Fabri Fibra, he issued a run of late-1990s recordings alongside his group Uomini del Mare, DJ Lato, and brother Nesly Rice. Prompted by Neffa, the former hard rocker-turned-rapper who later became a pop singer, Tarducci prepared his first solo project, Turbe Giovanili, which appeared in 2002. Content with the results yet seeking distance from music, he moved to England, only to reverse course and return to Italy, where Mr. Simpatia arrived in 2004. He subsequently left Vibra Records to sign with Universal Music Italia.

Tradimento, his debut for the major label, surfaced in 2006 and entered the Italian charts without delay. Bugiardo followed in 2008 and contained “In Italia,” among the year’s biggest domestic successes. Controcultura reached stores in 2010, earned double-platinum certification on the strength of “Vip in Trip,” “Tranne Te,” and “Qualcuno Normale,” and ranked among Tarducci’s strongest commercial achievements. Although three years elapsed before the next full-length Fabri Fibra album, he joined Clementino in Rapstar for the 2012 release Non è Gratis. Guerra e Pace emerged in early 2013, debuted at number one, and remained on the charts for the rest of the year, drawing notable contributions from American producers Organized Noize, Lee Major, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Squallor (2015) and Fenomeno (2017) sustained his prominent market position.