ZZ Club

ZZ Club formed in 1984 in the Inhaúma neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, a group of six young musicians from the area's communities. They started making rap music that spoke directly about life in their part of the city, with songs like 'Rap da Fazenda de Inhaúma' and 'Rap do Morro dos Macacos' documenting specific places and experiences.

Their music often addressed the social conditions around them, which led to some friction with authorities who weren't comfortable with the content. They managed to release several albums anyway, including their self-titled debut in 1986 and later records like 'Rap da Diversidade' in 1992.

For many listeners in Brazil, ZZ Club represented one of the first clear voices of rap emerging from the favelas, using the music to talk about things that weren't being discussed elsewhere. Tracks such as 'A Cruz Vermelha É Rei!' and 'Cruz Vermelha Terror do Renascer' became local anthems, grounded in the reality of their neighborhood.