MC Marcinho

MC Marcinho came up in Complexo do Alemão, one of Rio de Janeiro's sprawling favelas. He started writing verses that pulled directly from the sounds and stories around him, drawing on the local funk carioca scene. His 1994 debut album, 'Funk Brasil,' found an audience in those same neighborhoods.

In 1996, he released 'Rap do Silva.' The track's beat and plain-spoken lyrics about life in the margins connected with people far beyond his home turf, turning it into a kind of national anthem. Other songs like 'Glamurosa' and 'Garota nota 100' also became staples in the funk scene.

His lyrics were often direct and unvarnished, which drew criticism from some quarters for how they portrayed favela life. Marcinho generally stood by the work, saying it reflected the reality he knew. His career was active through the late 1990s and into the 2000s.