Various Artists
Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats
Catalogue Nr.: AY CD 03

Forget about that Nissan spot. And forget what you know about Brazilian music so far. This is Baile Funk. No world music and certainly not another Brazilian cliché pumped up with electronic beats. This is music from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Bouncing booty beats with Portuguese raps that make 50 Cent look like a wimp. This is, be it baile, Rio, Carioca or just plain funk, the music that shakes da booty in the hills surrounding the ragged splendour that is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Favela party music danced to by everyone from the budding Ronaldos and the street hustlers to the AK wielding drug lords. This is Brazil's contribution to world-wide Bass culture, paying homage to big speakers set up by competing sound systems.

Why is this funk is called funk? Because it certainly doesn't sound like funk as we know it. Baile Funk is a reflection of Brazil's (mythical or not) melting pot society, throwing into the saucepan a mixture of Funk, Miami Bass, Electro, Rap, Hip-Hop, Freestyle, Bastard pop and MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira). Plus some ruff as shit Portuguese raps that report live and direct from the favela streets. As a non Portuguese speaker, you may not understand what the lyrics are all about, but you feel the energy, the sweat, the anger and the sex that vibrates in these tracks. Something most of the over-produced U.S. hip hop acts missed out on for a while. In Rio some simple and spare elements do it all: A few rolling beats, one or two MCs and the use of some minimal sampling or electronic sounds are enough to revitalise this exciting feeling that first appeared in the mid 80s. The excitement that came up when in New York, Run DMC and LL Cool J, and in Miami the Two Live Crew gave rap music a fresh new face, where rock and rap, electro and funk were energetically mingled together. This long lost feeling is something you'll find in that funk from Rio. And you know: This feeling is good.

The success of "Follow Me" by the Brazilian funk crew Black, Alien and Speed, that blasted to the advertisement for a jeep by Japanese car manufacturer Nissan showed that the world is ready for the beats from the favelas. The compilation "Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats" now shows the many other shades of funk from Rio de Janeiro. The compilation was compiled by the Berlin based DJ and journalist Daniel Haaksman who went to Rio for a few weeks in winter 2003/04 to check out the local funk scene. Haaksman visited several Baile Funk parties in the favelas, met producers and listened to many many funk tracks. For the first ever compilation of pure Rio Baile Funk published outside of Brasil, Haaksman has selected the finest funk tunes of recent years. Amongst them are hits like MC Serghinos "Pocotopocoto", Bonde Do Tiagros "O Baile Todo" or MCs Naldinho and Beths "Tapinha". Songs that were so big, they were sung in Rio's soccer arenas. Plus there's the best underground anthems such as the Rick Rubin/Russel Simmons tribute "Popozuda Rock'n'Roll" by De Falla, or the track "C.I.D.A.D.E. D.E. D.E.U.S.", produced by DJ Marlboro, that worships the favela City of God (as featured in the film). At the end of the CD there's a samba version medley of various big funk tunes. A sign that Baile Funk has already succeeded into the collective consciousness of Brazil. The rest of the world will soon follow.

BAILE FUNK REVIEWS

"It's a shakurbooty must!"
Philippe Cohen Solal, Gotan Project

"It's sooo fantastic- I've never heard anything like it. Ive got to see city of god now."
Elizabeth Peyton

"Superb cd! Super music with energy, humor, purism and dirt."
Jan Werner, Mouse On Mars

"It's rare that a (Brasilian compilation) CD will stand out as much as this collection of favela funk"
Straight No Chaser Magazine