A love for Sardinia, for the noble art of fishing that has always fascinated him, and then a curiosity for Carloforte and its tuna fisheries. Rocco Hunt, one of the biggest names on the Italian urban scene, returns to the island as guest of honor for a free concert tonight at “Girotonno,” where he will perform his greatest hits, from “Nu juorno buono” to “A un passo dalla luna.” A taste of summer that feels lighthearted yet profound, because the Salerno rapper, aka Rocco Pagliarulo, 31 years old, with 3 million records sold and 30 platinum records, has come a long way.
Rocco, between jams and freestyle competitions, started writing music at just eleven years old. How has his style of expression changed from his first mixtapes to today?
"I've always approached music as entertainment. Of course, over time it's become a job, but I always try to stay true to the passion that drew me to hip-hop."
How important is street rap still?
"It matters as long as it communicates the desire to emerge from the suburbs and be heard. When I started out, we made music to express a sense of unease and then escaped to the streets to grow. I hope kids today don't want to do the opposite, immersing themselves in street contexts specifically to appear credible."
“Ragazzo di giù” is your latest album. What is the prejudice about the South that bothers you the most?
"Prejudice is increasingly diminishing thanks to the evolution of our culture. Campania is now cool and has become a cultural phenomenon."
What did success at a young age teach you? Were you ever afraid of losing your authenticity?
"Unfortunately, it taught me not to trust anyone. Luckily, my family supported me from a young age, and then I became a father at a very young age, and that gave me a sense of responsibility. I'm always afraid of losing my authenticity, and to ensure that doesn't happen, I immerse myself in my people's culture, because a tree without roots falls."
