An Italian rapper and singer with a fluid sound and a striking style, Achille Lauro (born Lauro de Marinis) went from underground rap phenom to hip-hop superstar after unveiling the track "Rolls Royce" at the 2019 Sanremo Music Festival. Emerging in 2012, Lauro issued a pair of mixtapes before releasing his full-length debut, Achille Idol immortale, in 2014. Citing influences that include Vasco Rossi, Kurt Cobain, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lucio Battisti, and Rino Gaetano, Lauro's fusion of eccentric alternative rap and fashion made him an underground sensation and ensured him a small but rabid fan base. After diving headfirst into the mainstream with 2019's "Rolls Royce," he doubled down on that success the following year with another Sanremo appearance and the hit single "Me Ne Frego." In 2021 he issued the genre-spanning LP Lauro, which incorporated elements of pop, punk, grunge, glam rock, and electronic music into his already eclectic oeuvre. ~ James Christopher Monger