Vozes do Gueto

Vozes do Gueto formed in São Paulo's poorer neighborhoods in the late 1990s, with Marcelo "Marechal" Dias and Rodrigo "Big" Passos among the founders. Their music came from a straightforward hip-hop impulse to talk about what they saw around them, with lyrics that addressed police harassment and government neglect. In 2002, they were detained by police after a community center performance, which drew attention to their work.

Their song "Sem Desistir" became something people in similar situations recognized, a track about not giving up. The group's sound mixed hip-hop with samba and other Brazilian rhythms, and they counted Brazilian rap group Racionais MC's as an influence. Other songs like "Som do Gueto" and "Adivinha o Que Ela Quer" show their range.

The original lineup included Marechal, Big, Luiz "Pretinho da Serrinha," and Evandro "Chupeta," though the group saw changes over time. They released albums including Sem Desistir in 2002, Vozes da Consciência in 2004, and O Gueto É Nosso in 2007. Their music stayed grounded in the neighborhoods they came from, speaking to experiences that often went unheard elsewhere.