Negramaro mourn Antonio Boccuni, Giuliano Sangiorgi's longtime aide, who died at 57

The death

Antonio Boccuni, 57, died suddenly of a heart attack, according to reports published on 22 October. Il Fatto Quotidiano calls him personal manager of Giuliano Sangiorgi, while Tgcom24, Fanpage and Il Messaggero describe him as the singer's longtime bodyguard. Il Messaggero says he died on 21 October, the day after the Arena di Verona concert was broadcast. Boccuni was not a member of the band, yet fans regarded him as almost one of its members, and his work with Sangiorgi went back to the group's early years. Outlets describe him as a constant presence at concerts, public events and official appointments.

The band's announcement

The Negramaro announced the death on social media with three photographs, one showing Boccuni beside Sangiorgi during a live show and another a black-and-white portrait. The band thanked him for being part of its family. Their message said:

After all these years together, the void you leave is impossible to fill. Thank you for being part of us.

Sangiorgi did not comment, according to Fanpage, but shared a photo of himself with Boccuni on his shoulders. The image shows the closeness built over years on the road together. Tgcom24 reports that condolences and memories multiplied on the singer's and the band's profiles after the news spread.

Background and career

Fanpage says the Boccuni family moved to Genoa when he was 22, after a financial crisis forced his father, who owned several supermarkets, to leave Taranto. Fanpage gives Taranto as his birthplace, whereas Il Fatto Quotidiano and Tgcom24 give Genoa as his origin. He and his brother began as security staff at nightclubs in the Genoa area and later founded their own company. According to Fanpage, that firm also worked with entertainers including Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, Elisabetta Canalis, Silvio Muccino and Bob Sinclar. Tgcom24 says his role for the band went well beyond personal protection, covering concerts, public events and official engagements.

The concert and the timeline

Boccuni's death followed the Arena di Verona concert, which Fanpage says aired on Rai 2 on Tuesday, 20 October. Tgcom24 and Il Messaggero describe that performance as the last date before a long break the band had announced. Tgcom24 says the news reached the public just after the concert had aired on radio, a detail that conflicts with the Rai 2 television broadcast named by Fanpage and Il Messaggero. The sequence runs from the broadcast on 20 October to the reported death on 21 October and the band's announcement on 22 October.

Tributes from the music world

Andro of the Negramaro wrote about Boccuni being among the people with whom he had shared the best moments of his life.

Life can be terribly unfair, and we have known that for millennia. You never think these bonds could break in an instant.

Gigi D'Alessio wrote that he had loved Boccuni very much, and Emma wrote that she could not believe it. Fanpage lists Jovanotti, Alessandra Amoroso, Nek, Giorgia and Levante among the artists who expressed condolences. Fanpage describes the flood of messages as a sign of the affection he left behind.