Zion 7

Zion 7 formed in 2002 in Rio de Janeiro's Complexo da Maré favela, started by Marlon Câmara and Welington Carvalho. They came up playing reggae, a sound that fit the rhythms of their neighborhood. Their debut album 'A Vida É Uma Aventura' came out in 2006 and got them noticed across Brazil.

Songs like 'Agora Vivo' and 'Como é bom' carried lyrics about daily life in the favelas, sometimes touching on social issues. That drew some attention from authorities, in 2008 they were arrested after a performance where a song was said to have incited violence. They kept recording anyway, putting out albums like 'Não Se Esqueça' in 2009 and 'Do Outro Lado do Muro' in 2012.

Later records like 'Mundo Novo' from 2016 brought in bits of hip-hop, funk, and samba around their reggae core. The lineup grew to include drummer André Guimarães, keyboardist Leonardo Oliveira, and vocalist Vanessa Oliveira. Their music stayed rooted in the community where it started, even as they played festivals farther from home.