Forbidden funk of the favelas


"City of God" (Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles)

New music to explore, from the favelas

Rio de Janeiro is a city divided by wealth, race and music. Along the waterfront are the grand promenades and beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, glamorised by the bossa nova stars of the late 1950s and 60s. But up on the hills behind, or sprawling alongside the highways on the edge of the city, are the poor, lawless and predominantly black shanty-towns - the favelas, with large areas currently controlled by rival drug gangs. It was out in these poorer parts of the city that samba, Brazil's national music, had its birthplace. And the favelas still provide some of the most varied, rousing styles in this music-obsessed country - from distinctively Brazilian funk and hip-hop to the latest form of samba.
[snip]
It's not easy or safe for outsiders to check out the music of the favelas, simply because the security situation is so unstable, with sporadic violent battles between the drug gangs or the police. So the best way in is to secure an invitation from favela musicians, who can seek the agreement of the gang leaders. The band with the best contacts are AfroReggae, whose rousing, theatrical fusion of different favela styles (along with a hefty dash of Brazilian reggae) has brought them international success, and regular appearances at venues such as ike the Barbican in London. Meeting them on their home ground was a very different experience.
[From Forbidden funk of the favelas | World | Guardian Unlimited Music]

One of these years I'll make it to Brazil.


"Favela Uprising" (Afroreggae)

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This page contains a single entry by swanksalot published on November 23, 2007 10:12 AM.

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