Rocco Hunt

Rocco Hunt is the stage name of Italian rapper Rocco Pagliarulo, born in Salerno on November 21st, 1994. Raised in the neighborhood of Pasterna, he cut his teeth on several freestyle competitions and made his debut in 2010 with the mixtape A' Music Es Speranz, released via the indie label Dint Recordz. Another mixtape titled Spiraglio di Periferia came out in 2012 and generated a lot of buzz in the Italian underground hip hop scene, paving the way for his major-label debut, 2013’s Poeta Urbano. Featuring production credits by Fabio Musta, Shablo, and Fritz da Cat, Poeta Urbano spawned several hit singles that became staples of the rapper’s repertoire, namely “Io Posso,” “Fammi Vivere,” and “L’Ammore Overo.” In 2014, he made history by becoming the first rapper to win the Newcomer Award at the Sanremo Music Festival with the track “Nu Juorno Buono.” The song was also included in Rocco Hunt’s second album ‘A Verità, released later that year. A bona fide star-studded affair, his sophomore effort reached the top of the Italian charts and featured guest spots by rappers Clementino, Noyz Narcos, and Ensi as well as established pop singers such as Eros Ramazzotti and Enzo Avitabile. Preceded by the single “Vene e vvà,” his third full-length SignorHunt fell just short of achieving pole position in his native Italy, peaking at Number 2. 2015 marked his return to Sanremo with the track “Wake Up,” which was placed 9th in the competition. Following the release of his chart-topping fourth album Libertà in 2019, Rocco Hunt continued his winning streak with the Top 5 entries “A Un Passo Dalla Luna” (2020) and “Un Bacio All’Improvviso” (2021), both recorded in collaboration with Spanish singer Ana Mena.