Abrad'Os Zoio

Abrad'Os Zoio formed in the late 1990s when friends gathered in São Paulo's Vila Maria Zélia neighborhood. Xande de Pilares was part of that early group. They worked on a sound that mixed samba, funk, and hip-hop, though it took some time for that to find an audience.

In 2003, the song "Coco pra Vó Mera" became their breakout. It drew from the Afro-Brazilian coco tradition and connected with listeners across Brazil. Other tracks like "Você Me Marcou" and "Vem Ver a Tribo Dançar" followed, building a catalog that kept their rhythmic blend at the center.

Some critics questioned whether the band was appropriating traditional music for commercial purposes. Xande de Pilares and the group maintained they were honoring their cultural roots while making something new. They kept recording, pulling from those same Brazilian styles without shifting into a more polished mainstream sound.