Language Barriers on RAP

What do you think of Brazilian RAP?

I bet most of you don't really know what we do for the Hip-Hop culture. I'm not underestimating you guys, but I'm saying that because of what I hear in many chat channels about music, on sites, soulseek or IRC.

Our MPB (acronym for Brazilian Popular Music) is well known in the whole world, such as our famous "bossa nova" style. But tell me: how many brazilians rappers do you know?

I get a little sad when think about that, because I know the message that they try to spread through their rap. And I get angry because I can understand english well enough to see many many rappers in U.S using the music to spread shallow lyrics in well produced beats.

But I can understand why north americans don't care about songs in portuguese. Our language is not that popular. Actually, portuguese is a language known by 250 million individuals around the world... ok, an impressive number... but 80% of that are brazilians.

Many lyrics that I hear would be appreciated if they could be understood, and I see that as a problem, because great song are just ignored. While people like 50 cent still sings about girls and pimps, this kind don't last too long in brazilian rap scene. At least the true scene. TV channels like that kind of stuff, radio and night clubs too; but the rap didn't born in TV or radio.

In my opinion, the RAP music serves a very important purpouse: protest. Well, rap came from dub, in Jamaica, that was used to reinforce political arguments of protest against ditatorial government. So, why many rappers forgot that?

That's what most brazilian rappers (at least the better rappers) still do. They use music to educate people, showing another way from the criminal life that spreads in here like sand in the desert. They use music to protest against corruption, violence, racism, pollution and social disparity. For me, that's what RAP is all about.

If you want to know a few brazilian rappers, try these, from my personal playlist: Mahal, Cabes, Arma-Zen, Linha Dura, Cilho, Black Alien, Racionais MC's, Sabotage, RZO, SNJ, Sandrão, Emicida, Marcelinho O'Rapper, Agamenon, Revolução RS, Naironi, Hurakan, DJ Cia, McKhlaff, Cazlu, Preto Dhimmy, Brutal Crew, Inumanos, Mentekpta, Elemento Suspeito, Sinal, Montalbano, Fluxo, Ribah, Ralph, Códigos, De Leve, DJ Caique, Duplamente Engatilhado, Fusões, Leandro, Manuscritos, MC Bacon (cachaça crew), Ocultos, Quase Nada, Quilombo da Oeste, Rabu Gonzales, Shanadoo, Traço Finno, Zy, Aliança 21 e Máfia Double H.
(most of them you can download @ cenahiphop.wordpress.com and from partners at right top of the site.

There are many many others, but you can look for yourself. If the problem is understand, just feel the music, or get some brazilian friends to explain the lyrics to you (just like I do translating US music to friends that don't speak english).

I know that many north american rappers still do protest, like Immortal Technique, for example (one of my favourites), but I really want to know what do YOU think about that (please, give me other examples of true rappers too).

And to finish today's article, a video with english subtitles from "Racionais MC's", one of the most representative rap group Brazil ever had.