J-AX

Born Alessandro Aleotti on August 5, 1972, J-Ax has remained a lifelong resident of Milan and its suburbs. He launched his career in 1990 as the frontman of the hip-hop duo Articolo 31, whose debut release, Strade di Città, arrived in 1993. Alongside DJ Jad, he shaped Italian rap by blending sharp rhymes with rock elements drawn from both American and Italian traditions. By the duo’s sixth album, Domani Smetto in 2002, their sound had shifted almost entirely toward pop and rock, a change driven largely by J-Ax’s solo contributions to the project. Although no official breakup was declared, Articolo 31 paused activities after Italiano Medio in 2003 so each member could pursue individual work.

Drawn especially to American punk, J-Ax began composing material for a solo project and traveled to Los Angeles to capture the desired tone. There he enlisted drummer Samantha Maloney, formerly of Hole and Shift, bassist Brian O’Connor of Eagles of Death Metal, and guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, known for his work with A Perfect Circle and Failure. The resulting 2006 album Di Sana Pianta delivered J-Ax’s characteristically blunt critiques of society alongside his advocacy for marijuana use. Despite leaning more toward California punk-inflected pop and rock than hip-hop—save for the opening track “S.N.O.B.”—the record quickly found success in Italy.

Two further albums appeared simultaneously in 2009: Rap n' Roll and Deca Dance. Both maintained the established sonic direction yet featured an all-Italian supporting cast that included Gué Pequeno, Jovanotti, Marracash, Space One, and Pino Daniele. Each release achieved platinum certification after selling 100,000 copies. Meglio Prima followed in 2011, with production from longtime collaborators Guido Style and Fabio B plus a track featuring Two Fingerz; the live set Meglio Live! surfaced the next year. In 2014 J-Ax joined the judging panel of the Italian television competition The Voice of Italy. His fifth studio album, Il Bello d'Esser Brutti, entered at number one in February 2015, buoyed by the duet single “Uno di Quei Giorni” with Nina Zilli.

Comunisti col Rolex, a 2017 collaboration with fellow Milanese rapper Fedez, also debuted at the top of the charts. The project merged pop, rap, and EDM while showcasing both artists on vocals and rhymes; its lead singles “Vorrei Ma Non Posto” and “Assenzio” each reached number one.