Caparezza

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CapaRezza
Background information
Birth name	Michele Salvemini
Born	October 9, 1973 (1973-10-09) (age 35)
Origin	Molfetta, Puglia, Italy
Genre(s)	Rap Rock Alternative Rap Pop Rap Alternative rock Crossover Rock
Years active	2000—present
Website	http://www.caparezza.com/

[edit] Biography and music

Caparezza is the pseudonym of Michele Salvemini. He was born in Molfetta in 1973 in the same day of John Lennon: the 9th of October. Now Caparezza is a famous Apulian rapper. His skill is the groom music, like the style of Frank Zappa, who Caparezza consider his “teacher”. Because of this the fans call him “the Beppe Grillo of music”: in fact, like Beppe Grillo, Caparezza criticizes the society by a pungent irony in contexts what are sometimes fantastic and unreal. At first Caparezza looks like nonsensical because he uses many strange metaphors and above all because he has disowned the mainstream of hip-hop; so he appears a nonconformist refused by the most part of Italy. In his four albums there is all: anger and at the same time desire of redemption, nostalgia, love, guilt, but especially a wish for change. This aspect is particularly evident in his first album, where the artist disown and nearly refuses his past, when he was Mikimix, because he was incoherent compared to now. But Caparezza has much talent, unfortunately wasted today.

Caparezza’s mother was a teacher and his dad was a worker who used to play in a group, so Michele has played since he was a child. He studied accountancy, even if he wanted to write comics. After the end of High School, Michele began to work in advertising, and won a scolarship for Academy of Milan, but later he decided to dedicate completely to the music. Michele started his career with the name of Mikimix, and he composed melodic songs with poor artistic value and without success. He also presented the program “Segnali di Fumo” with Paolo Maugeri on Video Music. After some shows in Milan’s pubs, Mikimix made his debut in Castrocaro Festival and then took part in two Sanremo Festivals in Categoria Giovani, in 1995 and in 1997, and succeeded in the publication of an album, “La mia buona stella”, which however was a success only in France. When he returned to Molfetta to make a new fresh start, he continued to compose music in his garage and had longer hair and beard. Mikimix changed his name in Caparezza (“Curly Hair” in Apulian dialect) and in 2000 published his first album, “Caparezza?!”. Although the high quality of the songs, it was his second album, “Verità Supposte”, which lead him to the success in 2003-2004. His third album, “Habemus Capa”, is instead a criticism toward the society contradditions. In this CD the songwriter imagines to be dead and comes down in the Hell, which is our world, and in every song he describes a terrible aspect of the modern society. It was published in 2006. In 2008 his fourth and last album arrived, “Le Dimensioni del mio Caos”, a science-fiction story: in a concert to celebrate Jimi Hendrix, Caparezza destroyed a guitar on an amplifer like him, creating a space-temporal passage from which a 60s girl, Ilaria, appears and Caparezza falls in love with her. The sad singer gets the fact: the present is modified because the past was modified. If he doesn’t take back Ilaria, the future won’t be the same. But Ilaria is conditioned by the 3rd millennium and has no more of return to 1968. In the strange 2008, the Church governs and Caparezza is arrested because he has pockets which are forbidden. After he comes out of prison, he discovers that Ilaria is married with Carneade, a famous person who is the leader of the “Fronte dell’Uomo Qualcuno”, a party for only VIPs. Caparezza can’t take back Ilaria in the 1968 and, to make it worse, the “Fronte” will build a “spaceport” in Apulia for the imminent elections. So Caparezza visit the construction site and there gets acquainted with Luigi delle Bicocche, a mason who is also the protagonist of the song “Eroe-storia di Luigi delle Bicocche”. Caparezza, completely demoralized, gives his Stratocaster and his amplifer to Luigi. Luigi is in reality a guitarist, Gigi Hendrix; Gigi destroys the Stratocaster on the amplifer and creates a space-temporal passage which turns the humanity into bonobos, playful monkey. The future is all water under the bridge. Caparezza has also published a book in 2008, “Saghe Mentali”, the description of his discography. Now Michele sing with Diego Perrone, voice of Medusa, who has replaced Stefano Ciannamea; Stefano is the creator of Caparezza’s official site. Caparezza is also a member of Sunny Cola Connection, a group who sings in Apulian dialect. Lately has also cooperated with Mondo Marcio, Roy Paci & Aretuska, and naturally with Medusa. At present, Caparezza’s band is composed by Rino Corrieri (drummer), Gaetano Camporeale (keyboarder), Giovanni Astorino (bassist), Alfredo Ferrero (guitarist).

Caparezza became famous for his song “Fuori dal tunnel”, which was a summer catchphrase. Caparezza has always protested against the use of this song in the discos and television, because “Fuori dal tunnel” is a denunciation against the de-individualization of amusement, expecially in the disco. Other important song of “Verità Supposte” is “Vengo dalla Luna”, which tells about an alien (Caparezza) knocked down on Earth who is astonished by the human mistrust against a different culture. It’s a song opposing the prejudices toward the immigrates. In “Habemus Capa” there are many important songs, but the better is “La mia parte intollerante” which, once again, expresses the marginalization of Caparezza. In the last album there are two purposeful songs: “Eroe” and “Vieni a ballare in Puglia”. “Eroe” is a story of a mason who is regarded as a “hero” because he manages to maintain a family without surrendering to the temptations of usurers and draw-poker. “Vieni a ballare in Puglia” tells about the situation in Apulia today, the “white deads”, the forest fires in Gargano and the air pollution in Taranto. This song, like “Fuori dal tunnel”, was misunderstood by the public who considered it only a praise toward Apulia. But it’s quite another thing.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

• CapaRezza ?! (2000)
• Verità supposte (2003)
• Habemus Capa (2006)
• Le dimensioni del mio caos (2008)

[edit] Demos

• "Ricomincio da Capa" (1999)
• "Con CapaRezza... nella monnezza" (1999)
• "Zappa" (1999)

[edit] Others

• "Alla molfettesa manera" (2005, Sunny Cola Connection)
• "La mia buona stella" (1997, MikiMix)

[edit] Popular songs

• "Il Secondo Secondo Me"
• "Fuori dal Tunnel"
• "Vengo dalla Luna"
• "Giuda me "
• "Iodellavitanonhocapitouncazzo"
• "Habemus Capa"
• "Dalla parte del toro"
• "Ulisse (You Listen)"
• "Inno Verdano"
• "La mia parte intollerante"
• "Torna Catalessi"
• "Ilaria Condizionata"
• "Io diventerò qualcuno"
• "Eroe (storia di Luigi delle Bicocche)"
• "Vieni a ballare In Puglia"
• "Abiura di me"