Lauro De Marinis (; born 11 July 1990), known professionally as Achille Lauro (), is an Italian singer-songwriter. He gained popularity in the Italian

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

scene and he competed in the Sanremo Music Festival 2019 with the song "Rolls Royce", at the 2020 edition with the song "Me ne frego", and at the 2022 edition with the song "Domenica". He represented

San Marino San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino, is a landlocked country in Southern Europe, completely surrounded by Italy. Located on the northeastern slopes of the Apennine Mountains, it is the larger of two European microstates, microsta ...

at the

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Turin, Italy, following the country's victory at the with the song "" by Måneskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and h ...

with the song "

Stripper A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events. Modern forms of stripping m ...

", after winning ''Una voce per San Marino'', but failed to qualify for the final.

Early life

Lauro De Marinis was born on 11 July 1990 in

Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...

. His father, Nicola De Marinis, is a professor and a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

on the Supreme Court of Cassation from

Gravina in Puglia Gravina in Puglia (; ; ; ) is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. The word ''gravina'' comes from the Latin ''grava'' or from the messapic ''graba'', with the meaning of ''rock'', ''shaft'' and ''erosi ...

His mother, Cristina Zambon, is now the administrator of Achille Lauro's holding company ''De Marinis Group''. He grew up in Rome and at age 14 lived with his older brother, Federico, after his parents moved to another city.

Career

2012–2014: Career beginnings, ''Barabba'', ''Harvard'', and ''Achille Idol Immortale''

Achille Lauro's brother, Federico, was a producer for Quarto Blocco and introduced Lauro to the world of underground rap music. De Marinis decided to use the stage name Achille Lauro after people associated his name Lauro with

Achille Lauro Achille Lauro (; 16 June 1887 – 15 November 1982) was an Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics. He was nicknamed by his supporters ''Il Comandante'' ("Th ...

, the owner of a cruise ship with the same name that was hijacked in 1985 and sank in 1994, throughout his childhood. On 14 April 2012, Lauro released his first mixtape titled ''Barabba''. This mixtape was available as a free download. After signing with Roccia Music, Lauro's debut studio album ''Achille Idol Immortale'' was released on 27 February 2014 and featured artists such as

Marracash Fabio Bartolo Rizzo (born 22 May 1979), known professionally as Marracash (), is an Italian rapper. Starting his career in the rap group Dogo Gang, he debuted as a solo artist rising in fame in the 2010s releasing six studio albums that reache ...

, Gemitaiz, and Coez.

2015–2018: ''Dio c'è'', ''Ragazzi madre'', and ''Pour l'amour''

On 25 May 2015, Lauro's second studio album ''Dio c'è'' was released. The album peaked at 19 on the Italian music charts. In June 2016, Lauro left Roccia Music. He created his own label called No Face Agency and released his third studio album ''Ragazzi madre'' in November of that year. This album peaked at 22 on the Italian music charts. This album was certified gold by the

Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) or the Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when ...

in 2018. In October 2017, Lauro signed with

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...

. The following year, on 22 June, he released his fourth studio album ''Pour l'amour''. This album peaked at 4 on the Italian music charts. This album was certified gold by

FIMI The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI) or the Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy. It was established in 1992, when ...

in 2019. Multiple singles from this album also charted in Italy including "Amore mi", "Non sei come me", "Thoiry Remix (feat. Gemitaiz, Quentin40 and Puritano)", "Midnight Carnival (feat. Gow Tribe and Boss Doms)", "Ammò (feat. Clementino and Rocco Hunt)", and "Mamacita (feat. Vins)".

2019–2021: Sanremo appearances, ''1969'', ''1990'', ''1920'', and ''Lauro''

In December 2018, it was announced that Achille Lauro would participate in the Sanremo Music Festival 2019 with the song "Rolls Royce" and finished in 9th place. Following his first

Sanremo Sanremo, also spelled San Remo in English and formerly in Italian, is a (municipality) on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination ...

appearance, he released his fifth studio album ''1969'' on 12 April 2019. ''1969'' is his best-selling album to date, being certified 2× platinum by

in 2021. This album peaked at 3 on the Italian music charts and had multiple singles that charted in Italy including "C'est la vie" and his Sanremo entry "Rolls Royce", which also was certified platinum in Italy. In 2020, this album was re-issued as ''1969: Achille Idol Rebirth''. In December 2019, it was announced that Achille Lauro would participate in the

Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival ( ), officially the Italian Song Festival (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria, organized and broadcast by (RAI). It is the longest-running ...

for the second time with the song "Me ne frego". He finished in 8th place. The song peaked at 4 in the Italian charts and was certified 2× platinum. In 2020, it was announced that Achille Lauro would become the Chief Creative Director of

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and the third-largest in the gl ...

Italy. On 24 July of that year, Lauro released sixth studio album ''1990'', which was his first album to reach number 1 on the Italian charts and was certified gold in 2021. At the end of the year, on 4 December 2020, Lauro released his seventh studio album ''1920''. The album peaked at 13 on the Italian charts. In 2021, Lauro appeared at the

for the third time, but as a guest instead of a competing entry. On 16 April 2021, he released his eighth studio album ''Lauro''. The album peaked at number 1 in Italy and the singles "Solo noi" and "Marilù" from the album also charted. The album was re-issued as ''Lauro: Achille Idol Superstar'' in 2022. In June 2021, he, along with

Fedez Federico Leonardo Lucia (born 15 October 1989), better known by the stage name Fedez (), is an Italian rapper, singer-songwriter, social media personality, and businessman. In 2011, he released the albums ''Penisola che non c'è'' and ''Il mio pr ...

and Orietta Berti, released the song " Mille". This song was a massive hit in Italy, peaking at number 1 for five weeks and being certified 6× platinum.

2022–present: Sanremo, ''Una voce per San Marino'', and Eurovision

In December 2021, it was announced that Lauro would compete at the

for the third time with the song "Domenica". Performing alongside the Harlem Gospel Choir, Lauro eventually finished in fourteenth place. A few days after Sanremo 2022, it was announced that Lauro would be participating as an established artist in the final of ''Una voce per San Marino'', the Sammarinese national final to determine their entry for the

. Performing the song "

", Lauro won ''Una voce per San Marino'' by one point. He represented San Marino at the 2022 contest in

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

and did not qualify for the final. He also went on a nationwide tour to promote the re-issue of his 2021 self-titled album ''Lauro'' in the summer of 2022. In December 2024, Lauro was announced as one of the participants in the

Sanremo Music Festival 2025 The Sanremo Music Festival 2025 (), officially the 75th Italian Song Festival (), was the 75th edition of the annual Sanremo Music Festival, a television song contest held at the in Sanremo, organised and broadcast by (RAI). It was held betwe ...

. He placed 7th with the song " Incoscienti giovani". The audience booed for Achille Lauro and

Giorgia Giorgia is the Italian version of the female name Georgia. Notable people with the name include: Arts and entertainment *Giorgia (singer), Italian singer, born ''Giorgia Todrani'' * Giorgia Fumanti, Italian-Canadian soprano and singer of operatic p ...

's positioning out of the top 5.

Musical style

On several occasions, Lauro has declared that he is not very close, in terms of tastes, to Italian rap, as he does not like to be homologated to the well-known stereotype of the street rapper. In fact, he has always deviated from the canonical look of hip hop artists, causing a scandal for his eccentric aesthetics in terms of clothing. He said he was happy to follow his compatriot Ghali, but above all the Americans

Travis Scott Jacques Bermon Webster III (born April 30, 1991), known professionally as Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Scott has had five number-one hits on the U.S. ''Bil ...

, 6lack and

Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop music, hip hop and trap music ...

. Lauro said he is a huge fan of

Vasco Rossi Vasco Rossi (born 7 February 1952), also known mononymously as Vasco or with the nickname Il Blasco, is an Italian singer-songwriter and poet. He has published 30 albums (not including unofficial releases) and written over 250 songs, as well as ...

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

and

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

. Among his influences, he cites to have been inspired by singer-songwriters

Lucio Battisti Lucio Battisti (5 March 1943 – 9 September 1998) was an Italian singer-songwriter and composer. He is widely recognized for songs that defined the late 1960s and 1970s era of Italian songwriting. Battisti released 18 studio albums from 1969 ...

and Rino Gaetano in reference to his rock turning point. He considers himself "a believer in God".

Controversy

Sanremo 2019

At the Sanremo Music Festival 2019, Lauro's song "Rolls Royce" caused controversy as ''

Striscia la notizia ''Striscia la notizia'' (, "the news slithers") is an Italian satirical television program on the Mediaset-controlled Canale 5. Launched in 1988, it is meant to be a parody of the daily news, which airs right before the program, but ''Striscia'' ...

'' speculated that the song was about drugs, specifically ecstasy, due to references in the song of famous artists who were known to have taken drugs including

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...

and

Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet who was the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band the Doors. Due to his charismatic persona, poetic lyrics, distinctive vo ...

. According to journalist Gabriele Antonucci from ''

Panorama A panorama (formed from Greek language, Greek πᾶν "all" + ὅραμα "view") is any Obtuse angle, wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography (panoramic photography), film, seismic image ...

'', the song was actually about the dream of social redemption.

Sanremo 2022

At the

Sanremo Music Festival 2022 The Sanremo Music Festival 2022 (), officially the 72nd Italian Song Festival (), was the 72nd edition of the annual Sanremo Music Festival, a television song contest held at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, organised and broadcast by (RAI). The ...

, Lauro's performance of "Domenica" caused controversy since he performed a fake baptism during his performance, which led to the bishop of Sanremo, Antonio Suetta, protesting the performance. Suetta described the performance as containing "words, attitudes and gestures that are not just offensive to religion, but to human dignity" and also stated that he felt that he could not stay silent about the performance since

RAI (), commercially styled as since 2000 and known until 1954 as (RAI), is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels a ...

, the state-owned Italian broadcasting company, broadcast a performance that "mocked and profaned the sacred signs of the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

faith by evoking the gesture of

Baptism Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...

in a dull and desecrating context". On the other hand, ''

L'Osservatore Romano ''L'Osservatore Romano'' is the daily newspaper of Vatican City which reports on the activities of the Holy See and events taking place in the Catholic Church and the world. It is owned by the Holy See but is not an official publication, a role ...

'', the official newspaper of the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

, stated that they are not impressed by Lauro's performance, because "the singer went back to the Catholic imagination. Nothing new. There has not been a more transgressive message in history than that of the Gospel", adding also, after a comparison to

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

's recital of the ''

Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...

'', that "nowadays the offenders are not what they used to be".

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

Singles

Filmography

Films

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lauro, Achille Italian male rappers 21st-century male rappers Living people 21st-century Italian male singers 1990 births Italian Christians Participants in Italian reality television series Rappers from Rome Eurovision Song Contest entrants