Francesco Tarducci (aka Nesly Rice) achieved recognition in the Italian hip-hop world later than his older brother Fabrizio (aka Fabri Fibra), but after Francesco's rapid-fire, complex lyrical style was showcased on his 1999 demo Fitte da Latte, the two brothers formed the influential duo Uomini di Mare. After additional mixtape-style releases garnered Nesly attention for his metrically complex flows and creative wordplay, he released his 2003 debut solo record, Ego, creating a unique sound by using live instrumentation. Nesly's next solo project, Home, was universally liked and put on heavy rotation across Italy, and 2007's Le Verita Nascoste -- released under the "Nesli" moniker -- was widely regarded as his most mature release to date, earning Tarducci his first significant presence on international hip-hop charts. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez