Jovanotti is a hugely popular Italian singer-songwriter and rapper. Many of his songs are not hip hop related and may probably be best viewed as part of the earlier Italian cantatore tradition. Some of his earlier work is also closer to keyboard-heavy 1980s pop. Most of his songs are sung in the Italian language.

In 1996 Jovanotti has appeared Luciano Pavarotti's charity concert, “Pavarotti & Friends for the Children of Bosnia”. Together they performed ‘Serenata rap / Mattinata’ as a duet. The concert was given to raise funds to build a music therapy center for children in the war-torn city of Mostar in Bosnia.