Marracash

Italian rapper Marracash started making music as part of the hip hop collective Club Dogo, but grew to greater fame on his own. Along with hosting MTV Italy's rap competition show Spit between 2012 and 2014, Marracash co-founded the Rock Music label, collaborated with many of Italy's biggest rappers, and had chart success with solo albums of his own like 2019's Persona.
Marracash was born Fabio Rizzo in Nicosia, Sicily in 1979 but he was raised in Milan. In 1998, his name started to spread after he became a regular of the Muretto, one of Milan's most important hip-hop clubs. After debuting on PMC vs. Club Dogo: The Official Mixtape (2004), Marracash participated in some records by other Dogo Gang artists such as Don Joevanni and Guè Pequeno. His first single, "Popolare," was released in 2005 and later included on the self-released mixtape Roccia Music, which included guest appearances by Club Dogo and Inoki. In 2008, Marracash signed with Universal and released the album Marracash, produced by Dogo Gang beatmakers Don Juan and Deleterio. During the same year, he also took part in the first Dogo Gang compilation, Benvenuti Nella Giungla.
His sophomore effort, Finoa qui Tutto Bene, was released in 2010 and featured production from Crookers and Bloody Beatroots. He quickly followed with his third LP, King Del Rap, and a sequel mixtape, Roccia Music II. His ascent in the Italian rap scene bore fruit in 2012 as Marracash took home the award for Best Artist at the MTV Italy Hip Hop Awards. That same year he began hosting MTV Italy's Spit, a show that held rap battles between unsigned talent. Around the same time, he started Rock Music with producer Shablo, a label that offered a platform for both new artists and more established ones.
After dropping Status in 2015, he topped the Italian charts the following year with Santeria, his collaborative LP with fellow Italian rapper Guè Pequeno. It was a massive success, reaching the top spot on the Italian charts. This breakthrough led to his next solo album, 2019's Persona, also reaching the number one slot and achieving double-platinum status. The next year Marracash released collaborative tracks with both Italian songwriter Elisa and producer/pianist Dardust. ~ Aurelio Pasini & Neil Z. Yeung