Inoki

Born in Rome in 1979 and raised between Imperia and Bologna, Inoki, also known as Inoki Ness, was formed in hip‑hop culture through graffiti, freestyle and street rap before becoming one of the defining names of the Italian scene that emerged in the late 1990s. In Bologna, Inoki took part in the Porzione Massiccia Crew, founded Flick Flack Mobb with Joe Cassano and joined the circle around Next Level, placing him within a central network of the independent Italian rap of the time. His writing, rooted in social observation and urban experience, relies on a direct, often restrained rap style nourished by battle rap and boom bap, while opening onto more hybrid forms. After 5º Dan in 2001, Inoki released Fabiano detto Inoki in 2005 and Nobiltà di strada in 2007, albums that established his name beyond the underground circuit. As organizer of the 2theBeat tournament in Bologna, he also played a role in the freestyle scene of the 2000s. Returning to self‑production, he launched the collective and label Rap Pirata, released L’antidoto in 2014 and Medioego in 2021, where his rap embraced more contemporary productions. He continued this trajectory with 4 mani, an EP made with DJ Shocca in 2022, and The Jazzness in 2025, a project that revisits part of his repertoire in a more jazz‑influenced register.