Caparezza - Il Sogno Eretico (2011)

The maverick rapper from Molfetta returns with an album dedicated to heretics such as Savonarola, Joan of Arc, and Galileo Galilei. CapaRezza, of course, uses these historical figures to reflect on the focal point of his entire work, the deep-seated illnesses of a rapidly decomposing Italian society, as on the scathing reggae with Alborosie "Legalize the Premier," about Silvio Berlusconi's sanctioning laws that condone his own illegal activities. CapaRezza continues to defy classification with his fascinating cross-contamination of styles, indistinctly quoting Puccini or comic books, rapping over a medieval jig on the title track, or summoning Spandau Ballet's vocalist Tony Hadley to sing the chorus on the harrowing "Goodbye Malinconia."