Jovanotti
Lorenzo 1992

THE REVIEW

How cute is this CD? I think it's right to talk about it, I was very young. And then I treated Jova terribly in the other review, so I want to give him some credit. It's a dark time; I spend my time writing, and sometimes it does me good to hear something cheerful. Lorenzo 1992 is an anthem of sincerity and cheerfulness, even if in some parts it approaches the absurd. The young Cherubini is still a rapper, although a successful one, and without infamy and without praise, he gives us his point of view on Italy, love, and all those trivialities. "Il Rap," if Jova were still a rapper, could be an anthem. Lorenzo is now a successful singer in Italy; he has been on Fantastico and San Remo, and he sells marvelously, he has the means, in short, to spread a bit of rap philosophy. And he doesn't miss the opportunity to do so, unlike other successful rappers who no longer talk to the masses about rap but about how cool feelings are and how terrible this country is. Jovanotti, on the other hand, tells the foolish masses that with rap attempting to bring out of the ghetto "that hard music, the one without melody, the one that scares," a ghetto that in many ways has not been overcome (rightly so, they preferred to preserve the style rather than ruin it). I believe the masses didn't really understand the meaning of "il Rap." On second thought, maybe it's better that way.

"Non m’annoio," one of Lorenzo's characteristics is an almost childish obsession with forced fun, feeling good at all costs, without ever getting down. "Non m’annoio" is the perfect example. Jova rhymes about how time is precious and we need to have fun, and that he "no I don't bore and I don't get bored..." well, it's not much, but at least it puts you in a good mood.
"Ragazzo Fortunato", one of his most famous and commercialized pieces, to the point that at 4 years old I almost knew it by heart, with the chorus "I'm a lucky guy because they gave me a dream" which quite nauseates me. But in fact, from his perspective, Lorenzo is right. He’s incredibly lucky. And in the end, we all are a bit lucky guys; you just have to smile at life, and life smiles back at you.
Right? No. Following is “Puttane e Spose”, where Jova showcases one of his traits that pushed him out of rap, towards the masses: tenderness. This song is very tender and sweet, he loves all the girls and doesn't fall into , because women can't be anything but loved, beyond judgments.
Then… ta da! Here comes Militant Jova: "Benvenuti Nella Giungla", the song starts almost like an afro-funk, evolving into an almost rocky funky old style, where it talks about our beautiful state, which has always been buried under tons of crap. The first republic is about to end, and Italy is almost as disaster-stricken as now (almost is), we live in a jungle with , so, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the jungle. Engaging rhythm, well-written text, and excellent choruses in the refrain. "Televisione Televisione" is another rap-politik commitment (nice term, call me Sampyr Celentano, a bit less idiotic than the old one, though), television, as we know, has done great things but has also standardized and commercialized and thereby ruined a lot of things. So Jova, he puts it in punishment in a closet and "tonight I, turn on the radio" (a good deal, even the radios are well off, right?).
"Io No", according to Lorenzo, someone is deceiving us, wants us all disgustingly identical and bewildered (what a novelty) but those someones have "found a wall, a hard wall, very, very hard, it’s us". Yes, the message is very banal and not very well-founded, since we are the same ones driving the bulldozer that knocks down the wall, but Jova seems to believe in his nice rosy world, and he makes you smile. Long live his optimism towards this nation of idiots.
"Sai Qual è Il Problema" talks about AIDS, the specter of his generation and one of the many specters of mine (and my debaser peers, logical), the message is clear "if I don't know well, I'll use a condom" the song is a good rap with a good beat, that when you hear it you think “no... it can't be the same fool from Tanto”. Yet it is him, the same fool, just a bit less famous. "Chissà Se Stai Dormendo", what a romantic our Lorenzo is?
There's only one problem, here he goes for a rock-pop style like Vasco, even adopting the cadences of the (former) rocker in some pieces, like "and don't put on all that makeup, that doesn't suit you" said as Vasco would, when he makes those statements, in the middle of the song, almost spoken, that characterize him. But done by Jovanotti, the same one who sings “Il Rap” and also tells you "no Vasco, no Vasco, I won’t fall for you, with those like you, who come back at three", it sounds slightly ridiculous (but only slightly it is). "Estate 1992", after all, he himself says that rap doesn't have to necessarily have serious or deep lyrics, but to actually get to this crap seems a bit excessive, anyway, let's draw a veil over this little summer song and move on because the next stop is... "Vai Con Un Po’ Di Violenza” a (sub)kind of "violent" crossover against violence, to which Jova prefers a distorted guitar or a scratched disk... if it were that simple my dear...
The last track, and perhaps the most politically engaged, is "Ho Perso La Direzione", where the (former, not yet) Tuscan rapper unleashes against DC, neo-fascists, church, communists, radicals, even against Moana Pozzi's candidacy (R.I.P.), spitting in your face a disorienting reality that accompanies us to this day: what is the right direction? Thus justifying our embarrassing ideological void.

The CD is sunny, fun, a well-done work, but already with the influences that will ruin the good Cherubini. Listening to this CD again today has quite an effect, I grew up with this CD, it was perhaps my first true approach to rap. But Lorenzo has changed, I've changed, Italy hasn’t. And as much as he preaches otherwise, it will never change. Now Jovanotti has become what he didn’t want to become, one of those he warned against, to his 'girlfriend', in "Chissà Se Stai Dormendo", a guru, a pop star, a celebrity, another face on another shirt, more meat for television television. And as much as he screams, by now he’s a character, and characters don’t move anyone. They just sell.

"Io No" wouldn’t be so sure about it, old man.