Articolo 31’s J-Ax and DJ Jad were among the first artists to introduce hip-hop to a mass audience in Italy. Their barrage of witty rhymes and cheeky sing-alongs in “Voglio Una Lurida” adds to several ingenious twists that made albums like 1994’s Messa di vespiri a hit. Later track “La fidanzata” casts a spell with retro swing vibes, while the satirical “L’Italiano medio” is punctuated by a pop-punk chorus. Tapping into G-funk, pop and rap-rock— and pursuing varied collabs with the likes of singer-songwriter Paola Turci—the duo have affirmed their place in the Italian hip-hop pantheon.