Mr. Wilson

Mr. Wilson, born Wilson Roberto Ribeiro, came up in Rio de Janeiro's favelas during the 1980s. He was listening to Public Enemy and NWA, and started writing his own lyrics about the corruption and inequality he saw around him. That led to his 1999 track 'Rap da Corrupção,' which named names and stirred up enough trouble to get him noticed by authorities.

He kept at it despite the pushback, putting out albums like 'Meu Rap É na Margem' in 2001 and 'Rap do Gueto' in 2005. His songs weren't just about politics, tracks like 'A Viagem do Reggae' and 'Eu Só Quero Surfar' showed a different side, though the sharp social commentary was always there. The music could be blunt, with critics sometimes calling it too harsh, but it connected with people who recognized the realities he was describing.