Fedez Apologizes for Lyrics Linking Jannik Sinner to Hitler
Italian rapper Fedez has issued a public apology following the controversy generated by the publication of song lyrics that referenced tennis player Jannik Sinner. The lyrics, which were interpreted as incitement to racial hatred, mentioned that Sinner spoke with “the accent of Adolf Hitler”. The controversy arose from an Instagram story where Fedez shared the lyrics of a new song. In Italian, the lyrics said: “Italy has a new idol named Jannik Sinner. Pure-blooded Italian with the accent of Adolf Hitler.” A councilor from Bolzano, the capital of the German-speaking autonomous province of South Tyrol, in northern Italy, filed a formal complaint with the prosecutor’s office. The complaint was based on an article of the Italian penal code that sanctions incitement to racial hatred and propaganda.Fedez added: “I couldn’t make it and all I can do is apologize. If something like this is not understood, it is because of an error by whoever wrote it. So I take responsibility.” Giuseppe Martucci, the councilor, pointed out that the reference to “pure-blooded Italian” recalled the Italian fascist propaganda of the 1930s, and added that the reference to Hitler was unacceptable.I wanted to take a paradox and it went terribly wrong, about athletes who are born and grow up in Italy but are often not considered Italian because of their skin color and apply it to the best athlete in Italy,” Fedez declared during a concert in Milan.
Fedez
Sinner, who has won four Grand Slam titles in the last two years, has become the most popular athlete in Italy, surpassing even football stars. Recently, he lost the US Open final against Carlos Alcaraz and ceded the number 1 ranking position to his Spanish rival. This is not the first time Sinner has faced the perception of not being entirely Italian. Before winning his first Grand Slam title and opting out of the Davis Cup for Italy in September 2023, he was widely criticized. At that time, Sportweek magazine published a headline on its cover that read “Caso Nazionale” (National Matter), with a double meaning. After winning his first Grand Slam title at the 2024 Australian Open, Sinner was welcomed as a national hero upon his return home and met with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Chigi Palace. Sinner and Meloni posed together with the Australian Open trophy and the Italian flag. The meeting concluded with a warm embrace between the two.I felt it was my duty to act and defend the founding values of our constitution. We cannot allow public figures to normalize language that evokes racism and hatred.
Giuseppe Martucci
