A Master of Metamorphosis: Beyond the Spotlight
Ghemon`s journey is one of fearless reinvention. “I did everything a moment before it became fashionable,” he quips, a self-aware nod to his ability to anticipate cultural shifts. This isn`t mere opportunism but a deep-seated belief that “no one is just one thing,” a philosophy that underpins his latest book, Nessuno è una cosa sola (No One is Just One Thing). From the introspective verses of his early rap career to the cathartic laughter of stand-up comedy, his artistic expressions have consistently mirrored his personal growth.
After the immense pressure and exposure of two Sanremo Music Festivals and consecutive album releases, Ghemon felt the pull to explore other facets of his personality. Comedy, a constant in his private life, offered a new lens through which to view the world. Where his songs might have indulged in melancholy, stand-up allowed him to embrace humor, finding solace in laughter rather than sadness. It was, as he describes it, a significant form of therapy – a fresh stage for self-expression that was always inherently part of him.
The Enduring Constant: A Deep Dive into Sports
“Sport has undoubtedly been the most continuous thing in my entire life,” Ghemon asserts. It`s his anchor, a backdrop to all his artistic endeavors. He practices, he researches, he devours information. His curiosity isn`t confined to a single discipline; he flits between sports, driven by a desire to understand and master. This insatiable appetite for knowledge and improvement, a hallmark of his artistic pursuits, finds a perfect parallel in his athletic commitments.
Running the Distance: From Necessity to Philosophy
His relationship with running began out of sheer physical necessity but swiftly escalated into a profound journey, culminating in marathons. “One thing led to another,” he recounts. The initial thrill of improvement, the personal sensations of pushing limits, propelled him to tackle new distances and speeds. It became a metaphor for life itself: setting small, attainable goals, focusing on what`s controllable, and progressing “meter by meter.” This discipline, honed on the track, now informs his approach to anxiety and future uncertainty.
His next major sporting ambition? An ultramarathon. While he frequently receives suggestions to try triathlons, his self-deprecating honesty about his swimming skills highlights his commitment to excellence. “I like to do things well,” he states, embodying a perfectionism that spans his diverse portfolio.
Italian Basketball: Navigating a New Era
As a fervent basketball fan, Ghemon offers insightful commentary on the Italian national team. The retirement of legends like Gigi Datome and Marco Belinelli signals a period of significant renewal. He expresses optimism for talents like Danilo Gallinari, who, after a stellar season in Puerto Rico, is “in full awareness of his abilities.” Nicolò Melli is lauded as “one of Europe`s strongest players,” and Simone Fontecchio as “exceptional.”
Belinelli`s retirement, while bittersweet, is viewed with admiration for a career that saw him win “practically everything.” Ghemon, however, harbors a tinge of regret that Belinelli didn`t achieve all he deserved with the national team – a common sentiment among passionate fans who often dream of more. On a personal note, Ghemon humorously notes it`s now time to “make up for lost time” with his friend.
If Ghemon were a basketball player, he`d aspire to be the “Most Improved Player” each year. This NBA award, celebrating significant year-over-year progress, perfectly encapsulates his philosophy of continuous personal and artistic development. He jokingly muses about an artistic equivalent being introduced in Italy, a testament to his own relentless pursuit of growth.
The Stand-Up Court: Rap, Rhythm, and Resilience
For Ghemon, stand-up comedy and rap are two sides of the same coin. Both are direct, rhythmic, and rooted in an American tradition of storytelling. One uses music and rhyme, the other doesn`t, but both capture the “now” with a relentless pace. This inherent rhythm, much like basketball, allows him to navigate the unfamiliar terrain of stand-up with the same ease he found in rap, despite being a relatively young comedian.
When asked if he`s “Italy`s Adam Sandler,” he playfully responds, “Adam Sandler dressed better… But maybe like him in everything else, both as a basketball player and a comedian.” The comparison to Blake Griffin, who has ventured into stand-up, leads Ghemon to name Italian basketball stars Gigi Datome and Nicolò Melli as prime candidates for comedy. Having seen Melli at stand-up shows and witnessed the duo`s quick wit in national team podcasts, he`s convinced they`d make an excellent (if unconventional) comedy pair.
Stand-up, he muses, isn`t a ring but a tennis court. “You fight for every point, which are the jokes. If the joke lands, the audience cheers; if it misses, you lose the point. But you can`t get discouraged; you have to immediately move to the next one until you win the audience over.” This resilience, this point-by-point battle, mirrors the demands of both high-level sport and performance art.
Avellino`s Heartbeat: Where Sport Meets Identity
Growing up in Avellino, where sport and identity are intertwined, deeply shaped Ghemon. The city`s fierce pride in its football (Avellino Calcio) and basketball (Scandone) teams instilled in him fundamental values: team spirit, individual commitment, hard work, and the sheer joy of play. He vividly recalls the pain of the Avellino football and Scandone basketball teams` failures and the elation of last-second victories, like Scandone`s promotion to Serie A1 on a Buzzer-beating three-pointer. These experiences fueled his passion and attachment, despite the occasional disillusionment with the “system.”
The Grand Vision: Filling Madison Square Garden (or a Marathon Victory?)
In a final moment of reflection, Ghemon ponders a hypothetical choice: winning the New York Marathon or filling Madison Square Garden. Despite his profound connection to running, the answer is unequivocally the latter. “Filling Madison Square Garden is a dream reserved for a few aliens,” he says, with a touch of awe. It represents the ultimate artistic validation, a peak achievement after which one could “retire to the countryside to grow tomatoes.”
Perhaps, one might suggest, Ghemon was “born in the wrong country” for his unique blend of talents. He humbly acknowledges the thought but counters with a characteristic blend of pragmatism and ambition: “I was born here and I adapt. I try to `annoy` as much as possible to broaden the field of what it means to be an entertainer.” For Ghemon, the technical mastery, whether in music, comedy, or sport, must always go hand-in-hand with spectacle. He embodies the modern entertainer, one who doesn`t just perform but evolves, inspires, and, most importantly, continuously improves, much like his beloved Most Improved Player.
Gilbert Pendleton 
Wesley Dunham