Giovanni Pellino (born 7 October 1967), best known as Neffa, is an Italian singer-songwriter, rapper, composer, producer and musician.
Neffa | |
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![]() Neffa in concert (2007) | |
Born | Giovanni Pellino 7 October 1967 (1967-10-07) (age 54) Scafati, Italy |
Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
Born in Scafati, at young age Pellino moved to Bologna with his family. In the late 1980s he adopted the stage name Jeff Pellino and was a drummer in several rock and punk bands, notably Negazione.[1] In 1991, he joined the hip hop ensemble Isola Posse All Stars and adopted the stage name "Neffa" in honour of Paraguayan footballer Gustavo Neffa, at the time playing with U.S. Cremonese.[2][3]
After the album SXM with the rap group Sangue Misto, in 1996 Neffa started his solo career, with the successful album I messaggeri della dopa which was led by the single "Aspettando il sole".[1][2] In the following albums he spanned various styles including funky, pop, soul, jazz and R&B, getting his major success in 2001 with the summer hit "La mia signorina" and the relevant album Arrivi e partenze.[1][2] The same year he was nominated as best Italian act at the MTV Europe Music Awards.[4] In 2004 he entered the main competition at the 54th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, placing ninth with the song "Le ore piccole".[1]
In 2007 Neffa composed the musical score of Ferzan Özpetek's Saturn in Opposition, for which he won a Globo d'oro for best score and a Nastro d'Argento and a Ciak d'oro for best original song ("Passione").[5] In 2010 he started the musical project Due di Picche with the rapper J-Ax. In 2016 he returned to compete at the 66th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Sogni e nostalgia".[6]
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