GIOVANNI Giovanni is more than just a rapper. He is a father, poet, coach, scholar, motivational speaker, as well as, an MC. When his words are set to music all of his various shades and sides come through to the listener live and in living color. His ability to match metaphors and similes has drawn comparisons to Tupac Shakur, as well as, Nikki Giovanni (from whom he took his stage name). The heralded wordsmith has spent the past two decades building life into words; words into verses; and bringing verses to life. Yet simple words cannot define Giovanni's life, nor his verses. He is not bound by constraints of categories such as pop, gangsta, bling-bling, crossover, or regional location. This Son of the South embraces his Southern heritage without being defined by it. His style comes in a variety of forms, on various topics, set to an array of beats, rhythms, and tempos. He epitomizes diversity. William Jeffrey Flanigan (aka Giovanni) facility to breakdown barriers between young and old, black and white, male and female can only be described as a gift from God. He has taken his gift and added an enormous work ethic and multiplied the sum by pure hunger to create nothing short of a musical genius. Its just too bad words cant define him. Musically, I am influenced by a variety of legends in the music business. Some of them include Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, Nas and Notorious BIG but I think that one of my greatest influencers in my musical career had to be LL Cool J and Grand Master Flash. The pioneers of that generation made it possible for me to be where I am today.