Italian rap megastar Jovanotti's first American album, a greatest hits compilation titled Italia 1988-2012, received a glowing review from the New York Times when it was released earlier this month.
Nodding the long career of Lorenzo Cherubini, who goes by the stage name Jovanotti, Times music critic Jon Pareles says that "one album of 13 songs is hardly enough to introduce Jovanotti to American audiences . . . but this album is a start".
Unlike many Italian artists who record songs in English for their American and UK debuts, Jovanotti's album focuses on Italian-language songs, making the Times review an even greater triumph.
One of the two brand new tracks, "Con La Luce Negli Occhi" (With the Light in Our Eyes), a Brazilian berimbau-influenced chant-rap, opens the album. Moving non-chronologically through Jovanotti's career, the album includes three songs from the 2005 album Buon Sangue, including the hit single "Mi fido di te" (I trust you), and two remixed songs from 2011's Ora, "La Porta È Aperta" (The Door is Open) and "Il Più Grande Spettacolo Dopo Il Big Bang" (The Biggest Show After the Big Bang).
Since his 1988 debut, Jovanotti has wooed the Italian public with his ever-evolving, self-written raps, which incorporate philosophical and political lyrics with world music influences. During his 14 year recording career, Jovanotti has sold more than five million records.
On his website, Jovanotti said he would take this review as a sign to "keep on rocking on the road and write new stuff".
