In a controversial turn of events, Italian rapper Fedez has issued a public apology following backlash from his recent lyrics that drew fire for linking tennis sensation Jannik Sinner to Adolf Hitler.

Fedez shared an Instagram story featuring lines from his new song, which read: "Italian has a new idol named Jannik Sinner. Pure-blooded Italian with Adolf Hitler's accent." This provocative statement has since landed him in hot water and prompted a formal complaint to prosecutors in Bolzano, a city in Northern Italy, based on laws against inciting racial hatred.

During a live concert in Milan, Fedez explained, "I wanted to take a paradox and it came off terribly. I was trying to address how athletes born in Italy but with different skin colors are often not seen as truly Italian, applying it to our top athlete. Unfortunately, I didn’t convey my message properly, and for that, I sincerely apologize."

City council member Giuseppe Martucci expressed outrage, insisting that references to "pure-blooded Italian" mirror the racially charged propaganda of Italy's fascist era. Martucci stated, "It is our duty to uphold the values of our constitution. We cannot permit language that perpetuates racism and hate to be normal among public figures."

Jannik Sinner, the pride of Italian tennis and a rising star on the global stage, has recently surpassed football icons in popularity after winning four Grand Slam titles in just two years. However, he has faced an undercurrent of skepticism regarding his Italian identity, especially when he opted out of playing for Italy in the Davis Cup due to recovery times from tournaments in North America.

This sentiment resurfaced in recent headlines, with one magazine dubbing Sinner a "Caso Nazionale" or "National Issue"—a term tinged with meaning. Yet, his triumph at the 2024 Australian Open saw him hailed as a national hero upon returning home, where he was greeted warmly by Premier Giorgia Meloni.

In an emblematic moment, Sinner and Meloni posed with both the Australian Open trophy and the Italian flag, solidifying his status as a cherished athlete in the eyes of his country.