Caparezza

by Johnny Loftus Before he re-emerged in 2001 as Caparezza, Italy's Michele Salvemini was a clean-cut, B-boy-style pop singer named Mikimix. His 1999 full-length, La Mia Buona Stella, produced the Italian hit single "E La Notte Se Ne Va," a slice of Europop closer to Color Me Badd or Enrique Iglesias than anything resembling American hip-hop. But it was the fluid style of Dr. Dre protégé Xzibit that Caparezza most closely resembled on Tutto Cio Che C'E, the 2001 debut of his new moniker. Caparezza made clear the distinction between past and present personas with furious raps about personal honesty and music business hypocrisy, painting a picture of himself as a pawn who knew he could be king. Tutto Cio Che C'E's kitchen-sink production drew on elements of both West and East Coast American hip-hop, as well as breakbeats, acoustic guitars, piano, and European influences suggesting Salvemini's Europop past, albeit with much better beats and basslines. Caparezza went on to contribute raps to likeminded projects by Speaker Cenzou and DJ Honey.