| Jovanotti |
Jovanotti during a live concert in Milan (2007) |
| Background information |
| Birth name | Lorenzo Cherubini |
| Also known as | Gino Latino |
| Born | September 27, 1966 (age 46) |
| Origin | Rome, Italy |
| Genres | Hip hop, rap rock, pop rock, world music |
| Occupations | Rapper, producer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | Ibiza Records, Free Records Independent, Mercury Records, ATO Records, Verve Records, Universal, Soleluna |
| Website | soleluna.com |
Lorenzo Cherubini, better known as Jovanotti /dʒovaˈnɔtti/, is an Italian singer-songwriter and rapper.
The name Jovanotti derives from the plural form of the Italian word giovanotto ("young man"), i.e. giovanotti. Lorenzo Cherubini originally auditioned a band with the name "I Giovanotti", but the record producer was interested only in him. He then decided to Italo-Americanize his name as "Joe Vanotti" before conjugating it to his famous moniker "Jovanotti". The spelling Jovanotti is anglicized; the letter J is not often used in Italian, as it does not belong to its current alphabet.
Jovanotti gradually departed from his early mix of hip hop, rap and disco, taking in funk, world music and even classical arrangements and ska influences. As his musical influences changed, so too did his lyrics, which, over time, began to increasingly address philosophical, religious and political issues, which are more typical of the Italian cantautore tradition. His social and political commitment increased as well. Some of his earlier work is also closer to keyboard-heavy 1980s pop.
Most of his songs are sung in Italian; he also released a Spanish-language greatest hits album. His live album includes a short version of the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". Jovanotti appears on several international compilations, most notably Red Hot + Rhapsody, a 1998 tribute to George Gershwin, on which he performed "I Got Rhythm". His most famous songs are "L'Ombelico del Mondo" and "Serenata Rap". Jovanotti has also appeared in one of Luciano Pavarotti's charity concert in 1996.
Biography
Early life
Cherubini was born on 27 September 1966 in Rome, but he spent part of his childhood in his parents' hometown, Cortona, in the Province of Arezzo (Tuscany).[1]
After completing his high-school studies, he started working as a disc jockey in several discothèques and radio stations in the province of Rome.[2][3] In 1985 he moved to Milan.[2] Two years later, during the summer of 1987, while he was playing a DJ set in Palinuro, he met the record producer and talent scout Claudio Cecchetto, who proposed they begin working together.[4] That same year Jovanotti released his first single, "Walking", and started working as a DJ for one of the most prominent national radio stations, Radio DeeJay,[5] which was founded by Cecchetto five years earlier.
Career breakthrough: 1980s and 1990s
His first studio album, Jovanotti for President, was released in 1988 and became the symbol of the youth of the eighties, without any interest in ideologies and politics.[6][7] Despite receiving strongly negative critics,[8] the album became a big commercial success, reaching the third position on the Italian Musica e Dischi Albums Chart[9] and selling over 400,000 copies in Italy.[10] Moreover, the album spawned five singles, including the number-one hits, "Gimme Five" and "Gimme Five (Rasta Five)" and the songs "Go Jovanotti Go" and "Mix, Remix & The singers", which entered the Italian top 5.[11]
In 1998, Jovanotti played a brief role in the movie I Giardini dell'Eden, directed by Alessandro D'Alatri.
The song "Piove" was released for the second season of The Sopranos as an ending credits track.
2000s
His 2005 CD, Buon Sangue, was influenced by both rock and old school hip hop. It is one of his most innovative works to date. Edoardo Bennato collaborated on one track, while bass player Saturnino co-wrote two of the songs.
In 2007, he was featured at the end of Negramaro's song, "Cade la Pioggia", of their CD, La Finestra, and in 2008 he released the new album Safari.
In 2008, he performed as guest artist on the track "Lugar Comum" on Encanto (Sérgio Mendes album) At the end of 2009 he collaborated with Claudio Baglioni and Fabrizio Bosso, along with 70 other artists, in the song "Con tutto il mio cuore (With All My Heart)". On 1 January 2010 the group released "Baciami Ancora (Kiss Me Again)" for the soundtrack of a film by Gabriele Muccino.
2010s
In December 2010 he achieved a number one hit on the Italian Top 20 charts with "Tutto l'amore che ho". On January 25, 2011 has been released his eighteenth album Ora. In 2011 he will play at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.
Commitment
Along with the evolution of his sound, his social and political commitment increased since the 1990s. As a convinced pacifist, he frequently worked with organizations such as Make Poverty History, Amnesty International, and he has contributed to events dedicated to debt relief (Global Call to Action Against Poverty).
Jovanotti has a friendship with Bono due to their mutual quest for the cancellation of foreign debt in poor African countries. He also collaborated with Michael Franti of Spearhead on his Capo Horn and "Ora" albums. Both Michael Franti and U2 misspelled his name as Giovanotti in the liner note credits.
Television
Even though Jovanotti has never had a UK chart hit under his own name, he was briefly known in the United Kingdom as the presenter of the DEF II programme Gimme 5. The show, which featured a brief introduction each week by Jovanotti, showcased youth television programmes from around the world.
Gino Latino
Jovanotti was behind one of two rival Gino Latino italo house tracks in the early 1990s. His Gino Latino single, "Welcome", reached Number 17 on the UK Top 75 Singles chart.
Private life
On 6 September 2008 Jovanotti married Francesca Valiani at Cortona, in the Church of Santa Maria Nuova. Their daughter Teresa was born in 1998. He dedicated the lullaby "Per te" to Teresa, one of the successes of the album Capo Horn (1999).
Discography
- Studio albums
- 1988: Jovanotti for President
- 1989: La mia moto
- 1990: Giovani Jovanotti
- 1991: Una tribù che balla
- 1992: Lorenzo '92
- 1994: Lorenzo '94
- 1997: Lorenzo 1997 - L'albero
- 1999: Lorenzo 1999 - Capo Horn
- 2002: Lorenzo 2002 - Il quinto mondo
- 2005: Buon sangue
- 2008: Safari
- 2011: Ora