Zito Righi was a Brazilian musician from Rio de Janeiro's Lapa neighborhood. His childhood there exposed him to samba rhythms and the stories of malandros, streetwise hustlers who became a recurring theme in his work.
In the early 1970s, Righi collaborated with sambista Nelson Cavaquinho. Their partnership produced "Poema Rítmico do Malandro," which became his most recognized song. He released several albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including Samba Malandro in 1976 and Poema Rítmico in 1980.
His music often addressed urban realities like poverty and crime, which drew some criticism for supposedly glorifying delinquency. Righi's band typically included musicians like Carlinhos da Mangueira on tambourine and Zé Carlos on cavaquinho.
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