Clemente Maccaro (born 21 December 1982), known by the stage name Clementino, is an Italian rapper, songwriter and actor, proficient in freestyle in both Italian and Neapolitan language. Along with rapper Fabri Fibra, he is a member of the group Rapstar, formed in 2012.[1][2] After winning several freestyle competitions between 2004 and 2006, he signed a contract with the independent record label Lynx Records, releasing the debut album Napolimanicomio in 2006. Three years later, he joined Videomind, releasing IENA in 2011. In 2013 the rapper signed a contract with the record label Universal, publishing shortly afterwards Mea culpa, who had a moderate success in the motherland, reaching fourth position in the FIMI album charts and being certified a gold record.

Clementino
Background information
Birth nameClemente Maccaro
Also known asIena, Iena White
Born (1982-12-21) 21 December 1982 (age 41)
Cimitile, Naples, Italy
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actor
Years active1996–present
LabelsUniversal (2013–)
Tempi Duri Records (2011–2015)
Lynx Records (2006–?)
Websitewww.clementinoiena.com

Solo career

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Growing up in the Neapolitan hinterland between Cimitile and Nola, Clementino at the age of 14 took his first steps in hip hop in Naples where he joined the Trema Crew and took place in the Neapolitan group TCK. Thanks to these first experiences, Clementino has the opportunity to refine his techniques in freestyle 2004, Da Bomb 2005, Valvarap 2006 and 2theBeat 2006, beating Ensi, then defending champion in the final, who already in 2005 defeated the same Clementino.

Napolimanicomio (2006-2008)

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On 29 April 2006 he released his first studio album, entitled Napolimanicomio, sung both in Italian and in Neapolitan, and in collaboration with renowned artists such as OneMic, Kiave, Francesco Paura, Spregiudicati, as well as various important local exponents such as Kapwan, Emcee O'Zi and Patto MC, achieving a moderate success and increasing his fame nationally. After the release of his first album, Clementino embarked on a series of concerts that saw him sing on more than 200 dates throughout Italy.

Videomind and I.E.N.A (2009-2011)

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In late 2009 he collaborated with DJ Tayone and the rapper Francesco Paura, creating the Videomind group, with which he released the album Afterparty in 2010, whose publication is anticipated by the single Is normal, with its video clip. second single, Music Therapy, and two further video clips (L'immenso e Peter Pan).

On 19 December 2011 he released his second solo album, entitled I.E.N.A., acronym for "I and no one else". This name is given by the fact that the album is a collection of songs concerning him and only himself. The disc is anticipated by the music video of La mia musica, released just over a year earlier. The name Iena (or more frequently Iena White) also derives from the alter ego of Clementino, also chosen to indicate the analogy between himself and the animal, which "left the carcass of the opponents on the ground", as stated by him in an interview.

The activity with Fabri Fibra and the collateral experiences (2012)

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The activity with Fabri Fibra and the collateral experiences (2012) The same topic in detail: Rapstar and Non è gratis. Ci rimani male / Chimica Brother came out on 9 January 2012, single double in collaboration with the famous rapper Fabri Fibra which will precede the release of Non è gratis, a project that sees Clementino alongside Fabri Fibra himself in the musical duo Rapstar, a partnership between the mainstream and underground hip hop. On 20 January that year the second video clip extracted from I.E.N.A., Toxico was released, while the third, Rovine, was extracted on 4 March.

From 8 to 12 February 2012 Clementino starred in Pino Quartullo's play Che che è è ?, based on the 1989 film by the same name by Ettore Scola.

On 9 March the single La luce is extracted from Non è gratis, a piece totally focused on the life of Clementino, who in the passage talks about his repentances and all the mistakes made at a young age. Also on this date, the MTV channel aired the first edition of MTV Spit, a television program that will see Clementino confronting other rappers in various freestyle challenges.

In the following months three further video clips are extracted from I.E.N.A .: Laughter of an I.E.N.A., Funk and TheRivati and Animals.

On 25 September Clementino took part in the Hip Hop TV 4th B-Day Party, held at the Mediolanum Forum in Assago, together with the best Italian rappers.

On 7 December the promo of a new song, entitled Atomic Bomb, is released, which anticipates the publication of Armageddon, an album that will see the participation of rapper Dope One and beatmaker O'Luwong. The video clip of the song was published on 21 December 2012, on the occasion of the achievement of the fateful date on which, according to some apocalyptic theories, the end of the world would have occurred.

Discography

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Clementino in concert in 2011

Albums

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Solo

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  • 2006 – Napolimanicomio
  • 2011 – I.E.N.A.
  • 2013 – Mea Culpa
  • 2015 – Miracolo!
  • 2017 – Vulcano
  • 2019 – Tarantelle

With Videomind

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  • 2010 – Afterparty

With Rapstar

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Compilations

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  • 2005 – Napolizm

Singles

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Solo

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  • 2010: La mia musica
  • 2012: Toxico
  • 2012: Rovine
  • 2013: O' vient
  • 2015: Fumo
  • 2019: Chi vuol essere milionario feat. Fabri Fibra

With Rapstar

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  • 2012: Ci rimani male/Chimica Brother
  • 2012: La luce

Filmography

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
2015 All Night Long Il Cinese
2016 Zeta: Una storia hip hop Himself Cameo appearance
Troppo napoletano
2018 Natale a Roccaraso Barman
2020 Cobra non è Himself Cameo appearance
2021 Il materiale emotivo Clemente
2022 Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend Mechanical Cameo appearance
2023 Uomini da marciapiede Paco
Chi ha rapito Jerry Calà? Himself

References

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  1. ^ Interview su hiphiprec.com
  2. ^ "Clementino, la biografia del rapper di Cimitile, Napoli - Biografieonline (Italian)". Retrieved 1 May 2017.