RioFunk

Hello Everyone!

This is my post for last week's class! We talked about different genres such as blues, soul, r&b, skat,  Disco, Funk, montown,  Gospel and   Jazz and how rap combines all of these genres.

In today's blog I will talk about a different genre in Brazilian Music that has a lot of similarities to and that originated from Rap: Funk Carioca (Funk from Rio). 

Funk(or Funky how it's pronounced in Portuguese): dont get it confused with the funk genre that originated in the US. Brazilian Funk originated in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 70s when DJs were seeking new rhythms of black music to implement to their black, soul, shaft and funk parties.  Funk Carioca (or funk from Rio) has a direct influence of Mimi Bass and Freestyle (associated also with rap). The term funk is used to refer to parties or nightclubs that play funk or to the musical genre. 

In the beggining, jsut like in Rap music, Funk songs discussed topics such as poverty, human dignity, racial pride of black people, violence and social injustice. Some believe that Funk is a genuine expression od the severe social issues falling on the poor and black people in Rio 

Eu So Quero E Ser Feliz (I Just Want to Be Happy) Cidinho & Doca 

This song talks about how people in Favelas just want to be happy and be able to calmly walk around the favelas without being subjected to violence. 

____***____

Together with the nationalization of funk came the Baile Funk, which is a party where DJs come to play and perform on the streets of favelas and rival teams battle for who has the most powerful equipment, the most faithful group and the best DJ and singer.  

The more nationalized it got, the more artists recorded new songs and  the more mainstream Funk became. 

It also became more vulgar and the rappers showed in the lyrics their favor for drug traffic, weapons- these songs are called PROIBIDAO, which refers to songs that are prohibited airplay by order of the Brazilian courts due to alleged crime apology.

The song RAP DAS ARMAS or Weapons Rap is an example of a Proibidao- it  had great success in the 90s and it is still very popular nowadays, specially after it was a soundtrack of a popular Brazilian Film The Elite Squad (Tropa de Elite). 

The song became even more popular after a remixed Dutch version of the song became popular in Europe and even reached #1 in some countries. (From Margins to Mainstream just like RAP)

Rap das Armas (Weapons Rap) Cidinho & Doca 

  ____***____

     With the increase in success, Funk started more and more vulgarity in its lyrics and the Baile funk is now a place where girls come wearing the shortest shorts/skirts possible or even thongs bathing suits and battle for who has the biggest ass or who dances  till the floor better. The lyrics are filled with vulgarity. Not only  men are the singers now speaking about women's bodies but also women now Funk/Rap about men's body parts and their own. 

Videos Below: Baile Funk in RIO

 

MC Creu - Competition who shakes their asses fastest. 

Tati Quebra Barraco e Bola de Fogo - To ficando Atoladinha (Women Funk)

Brazilian Girls Dancing Funk on Copacabana Beach 

Tati Quebra Barraco -Boladona  (Women Funk)

__________**_________

Regardless of the Funk songs content, this genre is now in mainstream media and people from all social classes enjoy its beats and the fun and humor in its lyrics (although a lot of people also hate it). But even the haters can't stand still when funk is playing at a party!!!!

And to finalize, here's a picture of me and my sister when we were in RIO at a BAILE FUNK  Castelo Das Pedras (Castle of the Rocks) in a Favela  - "The Best Baile in Town". We had a great time seeing people dancing crazy and we laughed all night