Brazilian Music: O Rappa (Reggae / Rock)

The band from Rio de Janeiro was assembled in 1993 by musicians who dealt with reggae and African music: bassist Nelson Meireles (producer of the band Cidade Negra), drummer Marcelo Yuka and guitarist Xandão (both former KMD5 members), and keyboardist Lobato (ex-Africa Gumbe). Through an ad on a newspaper, vocalist Falcão joined the group.

With successful live presentations in Rio, the band signed up to Warner and recorded the album "O Rappa" in 1994, not getting much attention. In 1996, Lauro Farias replaced Nelson and the band released "Rappa Mundi", a surprising mix of reggae, rock, samba, African music and electronica. In little more than a year, thanks to the frantic amount of shows, tracks like “A Feira”, “Pescador de Ilusões”, “Miséria S/A”, “Hey Joe”, “Ilê Ayê” and “Vapor Barato” were turned into big radio hits.

In 1999, O Rappa released the album "Lado B Lado A", with lyrics on the social chaos and plice brutality. The first song to be aired, "Minha Alma (A Paz Que Eu Não Quero)", deserved a videoclip directed by Katia Lund and Paulo Lins that amazed viewers due to the realistic images of rioting favela inhabitants against the police. The video received many awards at the Video Music Brasil 2000 (the local counterpart of the MTV Awards). The album yielded other hits, such as "Me Deixa", "O Que Sobrou do Céu" and the title track, "Lado B Lado A". In November of 2000, drummer Marcelo Yuka was shot during a theft attempt in Rio de Janeiro.

Discography

INSTINTO COLETIVO AO VIVO - 2001

LADO B LADO A - 1999

RAPPA MUNDI - 1996

O RAPPA - 1994

posted by nscafuro @ 9:09 AM