Born in Buenos Aires on November 17th, 1980 and later raised in Perugia, Italy, Argentinian DJ/producer Pablo “Shalbo” Capalbo immersed himself in the Italian rap scene in his late teens, dabbling in emceeing himself before concluding that he was more naturally inclined towards the instrumental side of things. Making his breakthrough in the early 2000s as a member of Porzione Massiccia Crew, he put his name on the map after producing Inoki’s 2001 debut album, 5º Dan, going on to work with a spate of prominent rappers including seasoned Jamaican-British MC Navigator and Milan trio Club Dogo. In 2008, Capalbo’s debut album, The Second Feeling, emerged. Showcasing vocals from a rotating cast of frequent collaborators, the LP included contributions from Philly rapper Grand Agent, jazz-tinged Dutch soul singer Caprice and forward-thinking producer Fritz Da Cat, making for eclectic results. Three years on, he teamed up with Club Dogo’s Don Joe to co-produce the joint album Thori & Rocce, which featured an all-star lineup of local talents including Gué Pequeno and Emis Killa. After self-releasing a second solo LP, Mate y Espíritu (2016), Capalbo experienced a huge breakthrough in 2019 with the Marracash and Carl Brave collaboration “No Ci Sto”, his first release on Universal. Peaking at #7 in the Italian charts, the single marked the start of a run of nationally successful singles for the now multi-platinum-certified beatmaker, with his 2020 offerings “Kriminal” (feat. Gué Pequeno, Gemitaiz and Samurai Jay) and “M’ Manc” (with Geolier and Sfera Ebbasta) reaching #22 and the top spot in Italy respectively. Today doubling up as an industry executive, Capalbo also works as an A&R for Universal Music Group as well as serving as the co-founder of left-field hip-hop label Avantguardia.
