Studies at the professional institute, employment in the hospital and the dream of rap: who is Gennarone, the singer who insulted Meloni on stage

OfRosarianna Romano

The Foggia native was reported for contempt of institutions for his words against the prime minister. The condemnation of politics is unanimous

Is called “Gennarone Unique Unmistakable» on social media. And her performance for the was also “unmistakable”. May 1st concert in Foggia, during which he addressed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with a harsh sexist name, for which he was reported for contempt of the institutions. «Italy is experiencing the specter of fascism thanks to (here the insult, ed.) Giorgia Meloni», said the rapper on stage, triggering a common movement of dissent. To file the complaint Daria Cascaranohead of the legality and safety department of FdI in the province of Foggia.

Professional studies and work at the Polyclinic

Foggiano, Gennarone he studied at a professional institute and is employed at the ticket office of the city hospital, the Policlinico Riuniti. But he makes music (and in particular rap) his credo: «Respectable people don’t mind if I’m not suited to wearing chains», we read in a story published on his Instagram profile, which recalls the words of ” Slacker” by De Andrè. For Gennarone (and his fans) the speech made on stage on May 1st also falls within the context of rap culture: «Rap is also this, it is not conciliatory, it is uncomfortable, it can be aggressive and offensive. But he does it to shock”, we read in one of the few comments in favor of him. But, alongside his (not many) supporters, the others undoubtedly prevail voices of dissent. Starting from Cascarano, “indignant because none of those present” had “dissociated themselves from those derogatory words pronounced in an abusive tone”. Even earlier, the regional councilors of Fratelli d’Italia (Francesco Ventola, Luigi Caroli, Giannicola De Leonardis, Antonio Gabellone, Renato Perrini and Michele Picaro) had defined the performance as “disconcerting and ignoble”, while the mayor Maria Aida Episcopo he had expressed “firm condemnation” for what happened on stage. Compared to those words, Gennarone took a step back: “I apologize – he declared to Ansa – if I offended anyone’s sensitivity”. But, insult aside, he does not deny the essence of his speech: «What is happening in Italy seems abnormal to me, especially from a Prime Minister who does not openly declare herself anti-fascist and passes laws that put a gag on press”.

Activism for Foggia

He doesn’t have much of a following on social media (just over a thousand followers on Instagram) and, until now, he has performed live mainly between his city and the province. Online, with videos and posts, he shows attention to his city, Foggia, inviting people to follow the activities of the Independent Artistic Movement, a cultural container «based on urban regeneration through art in all its forms». And in fact there is no shortage of songs in which Gennarone talks about the city where he was born and decided to stay: «Foggia style, I love my land, from the Dauno Apennines to the Gargano lands. Take my hand, ready for the journey into the land we live in”, recites a passage dedicated to Foggia. Less than a month ago, on Instagram, he announced the arrival of a new work that follows the same line, already available on Spotify and entitled «Lacrime e malaffari», from the preview of which the sound of the Foggia dialect and of the its origins, source of its inspiration.

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