Cabral MC

Cabral MC formed in Rio de Janeiro in 1993 with Leonardo da Silva, Jorge da Silva, and Alexandre Filgueira. They were three young men who heard American hip-hop acts like Run-DMC and Public Enemy and wanted to make something similar with a Brazilian voice. Their early years weren't easy, hip-hop was still seen as a foreign import in Brazil then, and they faced some resistance for using street language and talking about things people didn't always want to hear.

Their debut album came out in 1995, and it had 'Represento o Hip-hop' on it. That song caught on quickly, with its raw energy and direct lyrics. It became something of an anthem, especially for listeners who felt the group was speaking to experiences that didn't get much airtime elsewhere.

They were accused of promoting things like violence or drug use, but they argued they were just reflecting realities they saw around them. Beyond recording, they used their platform to talk about issues affecting poor and marginalized communities in Brazil, which earned them both supporters and critics.