The sounds of Brazil have finally traveled to the north! With bands like Cansei de ser Sexy and Bonde de Role, it’s no wonder that North Americans can’t get enough of Brazilian music. In particular it seems Funk Carioca, or Brazilian funk, is on the rise. Something about the raw beats and the ludicrous nature of the lyrics seems refreshing compared to standard synth influenced dance music. In the Rio de Janeiro area, funk has evolved into music that breaks down social and racial barriers. Popular Baile dance parties are thrown where every social class enjoys Funk Carioca. Non-Brazilians call Funk Carioca Baile because of the close relationship between the two. The misnomer was created by Diplo when he used what he called “baile” tracks in his mixes. The popularity of baile was further cemented by M.I.A.’s “Bucky Done Gun” which was also produced by Diplo. Her track sampled Deize Tigrona’s baile funk song “Injeção.”

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In this day and age, nearly everyone is concerned with the environment. We are all doing our best to care for mother earth. Some people accomplish this by recycling more, driving less, adapting fluorescent light bulbs, turning off the air conditioning, etc.

For Brazilian street artist Alexandre Orion, the best way to highlight the ongoing environmental crisis is to utilize a technique known as ‘reverse graffiti.’ To put it bluntly, ‘reverse graffiti’ is a form of graffiti that’s created by drawing with a cloth (or other cleaning tool) on a very dirty surface, rather than with a spray-paint can. In doing this, the art ends up etched into the filth and calls attention to the pollution in the area.

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