A Gringo in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio´s Funk Carioca (or Baile Funk) is a genre of music fast surfacing into the consciousness of numerous American and British DJs, producers and party-goers.
The music, centred around Rio´s favelas, is abrasive and overly bassy with plenty of Hip Hop style samples and Eighties Electro dance influences.
MC Gringo is a German Funk Carioca artist who raps in Brazilian Portuguese about life in Rio´s favela.
Gringo speaks to Chic Today about his influences:
“I write all of my songs and I produce most of them with DJ Amazing Clay.
Clay and I are a great duo - we really do create the sound together. I think this is how I differ to other artists. These days a producer is often on one side of the world sending a beat to a singer on the opposite side - they may not even know each other. Clay and I spend the whole week sitting in the studio next door to Maracana Stadium and constantly change our musical ideas in line with our current experiences.
Many bands inspire me. Within Funk Carioca my friends Mr Catra and MC Galo are the most important.
The Samba artist Benito di Paula and the Samba Rock singer and guitarist Bebeto are also influences. And my biggest European influence is Shaun Ryder!”
Gringo´s proudest career moment:
“The courage to get back onto the stage.
I once performed at a concert where people had thrown chairs and bottles onto the stage at me and group of guys wanted to hit me whilst I was up there. I don´t believe it was because my show was bad, but because of jealousy.
After that night, everybody (including my wife) told me that I should stop my musical cultural revolution immediately. I didn´t. A day later I performed again to what was an amazingly receptive crowd in a small favela.
I was proud of not giving up.”
MC Gringo is currently touring Europe.
For listings visit www.myspace.com/mcgringo or www.myspace.com/manrecordings
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