Raiz

Born in Naples on April 22, 1967, Gennaro “Raiz” Della Volpe has performed under the shifting artistic aliases Rais, Reeno, and Raiss. He first came to prominence in the early 1990s as Almamegretta’s lead vocalist. The group fused dub, trip-hop, Mediterranean grooves, and both Asian and Neapolitan melodic lines in a strikingly personal manner, quickly establishing itself among Italy’s leading independent acts and earning widespread European critical notice through the albums Animamigrante (1993), Sanacore (1995), and Lingo (1998). Their association with Massive Attack, for whom they reworked the title track of the Karmacoma EP, further heightened their profile. During the same period Raiz lent his distinctive voice to projects by Pino Daniele, Leftfield, Asian Dub Foundation, and Mauro Pagani. With Bill Laswell and producer Eraldo Bernocchi he formed the band Ashes, whose debut album Corpus appeared in 1995. He also took a role in Gianluca Sodaro’s Sicilian Western Cuore Scatenato (2000) and contributed to the soundtrack of Antonio Capuano’s Luna Rossa (2001). Following the 2002 live release Venite! Venite!, Raiz departed Almamegretta to launch a solo career. Two years later he issued his first album, Wop, co-produced by Roberto Vernetti and former Almamegretta member Pier Paolo Polcari. The record merged contemporary electronics and pop hooks with his characteristic global outlook and deep Neapolitan roots, reinforcing his reputation as one of his generation’s most singular figures. Ashes resurfaced with Unisono in 2006, and Raiz delivered his second solo effort, Uno, in 2007—an album that leaned further toward polished pop than its predecessor.