Isac Matheus

Isac Matheus came up in Rio de Janeiro's Complexo do Alemão, where he started writing songs that mixed samba with hip-hop. He put out his first single in 2014, a track called "Onde Favela Chegou" that caught on with listeners who recognized the neighborhood stories in his lyrics.

That song and others like "Ainda Bem" gave him a platform to talk about life in the favelas, though some critics questioned whether his music reinforced stereotypes. He kept recording through the 2010s, putting out albums like No Morro da Torre and Lágrimas de Alegria.

Matheus built a reputation for live shows that felt direct and unpolished, just him with a guitar and that neighborhood voice. He didn't really fit the polished pop mold, which might be why his music stayed grounded even as it reached a wider audience.