Neffa
Giovanni Pellino (born 7 October 1967), best known as Neffa, is an Italian singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the Italian hip hop scene.
Also recorded as Giovanni Pellino
Neffa

Iaconianni family · Fotoguru.it · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Neffa
- Birth Name
- Giovanni Pellino
- Born
- 7 October 1967
- Birthplace
- Scafati, Italy
- Occupation
- * Singer
- Full name
- Giovanni Pellino.
- Nationality
- Italy
- Fields
- pop music · funk · rhythm and blues · adult contemporary music · blue-eyed soul · hip-hop soul
- Honours
- Ciak d'oro - best soundtrack · Nastro d'argento for best original song
- Languages
- Italian
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Giovanni Pellino (born 7 October 1967), best known as Neffa, is an Italian singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the Italian hip hop scene.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Neffa. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
gnd · 135638801 · wikidata · Q1974203 · wikipedia · Neffa
In this article
Biography
Biography
The recorded working language is Italian. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are pop music, funk, rhythm and blues and adult contemporary music. Residence is recorded at Bologna. Distinctions recorded are Ciak d'oro - best soundtrack and Nastro d'argento for best original song.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Neffa • Birth Name — Giovanni Pellino • Born — 7 October 1967 • Birthplace — Scafati, Italy • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • rapper • record producer
Life and career
Life and career
Born in Scafati, at a young age Pellino moved to Bologna with his family. In the late 1980s he adopted the stage name Jeff Pellino and was a drummer in several rock and punk bands, notably Negazione. In 1991, he joined the hip hop ensemble Isola Posse All Stars and adopted the stage name "Neffa" in honour of Paraguayan footballer Gustavo Neffa, at the time playing with U.S. Cremonese. After the album SXM with the rap group Sangue Misto, in 1996 Neffa started his solo career, with the successful album I messaggeri della dopa which was led by the single "Aspettando il sole". In the following albums he spanned various styles including funk, pop, soul, jazz and R&B, achieving major success in 2001 with the summer hit "La mia signorina" and the accompanying album Arrivi e partenze. The same year he was nominated as best Italian act at the MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2004 he entered the main competition at the 54th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, placing ninth with the song "Le ore piccole". In 2007 Neffa composed the musical score of Ferzan Özpetek's Saturn in Opposition, for which he won a Globo d'oro for best score and a Nastro d'Argento and a Ciak d'oro for best original song ("Passione"). In 2010 he started the musical project Due di Picche with the rapper J-Ax. In 2016 he returned to compete at the 66th annual Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Sogni e nostalgia".
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Neffa was recorded at birth as Giovanni Pellino. He also worked under the name Neffa. The authorities additionally record the heading Giovanni Pellino. His recorded language was Italian.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- Bologna
Named but not plotted · 1
Scafati.
Birth place
Discography
• Neffa & i messaggeri della dopa (1996) • 107 elementi (1998) • Arrivi e partenze (2001) • I molteplici mondi di Giovanni, il cantante Neffa (2003) • Alla fine della notte (2006) • Sognando contromano (2009) • Molto calmo (2013) • Resistenza (2015) • AmarAmmore (2021) • Canerandagio (2025)
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1974203: Neffa
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Neffa”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 135638801, Neffa.
Unverified · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 135638801, Neffa.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Partially resolvedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1974203: NeffaWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,438 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- NeedlzPerson
- Neely BrucePerson
- Neeraj ShridharPerson
- Neeta SenPerson
- Neguinho da Beija-FlorPerson
- Neha RajpalPerson
- Nei LopesPerson
- Nei Van SoriaPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Neffa?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.