Bossoli translates to "casings" or "shell casings," the metal remains left behind after a bullet is fired. It's a gritty, striking word that instantly sets a dangerous, street level tone.
Shiva paints a stark image with it: "Vedi i bossoli a terra e nei miei boxer" ("You see the shells on the ground and in my boxers"), describing a world where violence and danger are simply part of everyday surroundings.
"Bossoli" is Shiva's portrait of the fast, dangerous glamour of street life in Milan. He raps about spent shell casings ("bossoli") scattered near his boxers, cash stuffed into designer bags, and jewelry piling up as proof he made it.
Under the bragging, the song turns more reflective. Shiva talks about losing friends along the way and learning that this lifestyle always comes with a price, especially for anyone who grew up in it too young.
The track (and the album it named) became one of Shiva's signature hits, capturing both the swagger of his rise and the toll it takes to stay on top.
Shiva is the stage name of Andrea Arrigoni, an Italian rapper born in 1999 in Legnano, a town near Milan in the Lombardy region.
He began releasing music as a young teenager, and a freestyle contest win in 2015 landed him his first record deal. His debut album, Tempo anima, came out in 2017, but it was the 2019 singles Mon fre, with Emis Killa, and Bossoli that made him a star.
Since then Shiva has become one of Italy's leading trap artists, topping the charts with albums like Milano Demons and Santana Season and teaming up often with fellow Milanese rapper Sfera Ebbasta. His music leans into a laid-back, melodic flow over stories of Milan's fast money and faster nightlife.