Rio Gringa

Hip Hop in the Americas

Last week I went to see a really interesting documentary called "Estilo Hip Hop," part of the HBO Latino film festival. The festival itself was a little budget, and squeezed too many movies into too few days, so this was the only one I got to see. Being a wannabe social anthropologist, I love seeing how cultures meld and fuse, so I loved this movie.

The film showed hip hop performers from three countries: Chile, Brazil, and Cuba. Did you even know they had hip hop in those countries?

Despite being one of the most modern and developed countries in Latin America, Chile is quite conservative and maintains a traditional culture (as in, people still enjoy Andean flute music). However, this is a small but burgeoning hip hop movement, led by a rapper named Guerrillero. He grew up very poor and was inspired by American hip hop, and is now one of the most famous hip hop artists in the country. He also runs social programs for teens and organizes protests. His music focuses on social and political issues, like poverty and repression, and tries to bring attention to the socioeconomic and political rifts in Chilean society. Who knew?

In Cuba, which has a well-established hip hop movement best known for the group Orishas, the movie focused on a couple, Magia and El Tipo Este. Magia is the real star of the show, a beautiful black woman who became interested in rap through her husband, and then became a rapper in her own right. She sings about racism, machismo, domestic abuse, and women's issues. Her group, Obsesion, also raps about social and political themes. Initially, the group organized huge concerts, which would occasionally get shut down by the government right before show time. She is now president of the Cuban Rap Agency.

Brazil also has an established hip hop movement, though it has seen lots of mixing and meshing with other forms of music (like many genres in Brazil), with artists like Marcelo D2 and Gabriel O Pensador and genres like funk. Anyway, the movie focused on rapper Eli (!) Efi who is a former member of one of the earliest hip hop successes, DMN. I wasn't so sure he was a very good choice to represent Brazilian hip hop, since he dropped out of the group and is now shining shoes in New York. Back in the day though, he was a star, who ran after school programs for favela kids and rapped about poverty, inequality, and racism. I just don't think he was the right person to focus on, since there are plenty of other current artists they could have chosen. I think MV Bill would have been the best choice, but maybe the filmmakers were scared to go to the City of God, where he lives.

Also, I thought it was pretty funny that the entire movie started with one of those iconic shots of Rio taken from the Christ....although Eli Efi is from Sao Paulo and not a single other scene took place in Rio.

hot damn

If there was a pageant for economic growth this year, Brazil would be the girl with the runny mascara and poofy gown, cradling her enormous bouquet.

And this would be her crown.

Mr. New Neighborhood has written a glowing front page story about Brazil's growth in the New York Times, which is just the cherry on top of Brazil's success this year (you can bet a mention of the NYT article will be on the front page of every major Brazilian newspaper).

As much as I am thrilled for Brazil and for Lula, I have to say, I am ever the skeptic. Despite the supposed millions of people lifted out of poverty, the numbers of people still struggling to get by are completely overwhelming. It will take more than growth and Bolsa Familia to even out the income disparities in Brazil.

2

Today is Eli's and my two year anniversary. I miss him.

everything is relative

There's a guy who wanders around a park in Rio who likes to dole out advice for free (and tell his life story in the process). One time, I asked him if it was dangerous to take the hiking trail to the Christ statue from the park. He shrugged and said, "Everything is relative."

So, with that in mind...

Safety is relative. You could be on vacation in the Caribbean and get shot to death in your bed, or hit by a car outside of your hotel.

Age is relative. You can still get AIDS even if you're a senior citizen.

Location is relative. You can discover new species in strange places, and find advanced scientific studies in countries you might not expect.

Visions of Brazilians Abroad

I thought this would be a good time to discuss experiences with Brazilians outside of Brazil.

Let's begin with moi.

I studied in Argentina for six months (coming soon on "How it all began") and in that time my favorite people I met, outside of the program staff and the gringos, were Brazilians. I hung out with them instead of Argentines, rooted for Brazil instead of Argentina during the World Cup, and went to Brazilian parties and clubs. It wasn't that I didn't like Buenos Aires--it's one of my favorite cities--I just wasn't a huge fan of portenos (Buenos Aires dwellers).

My more recent experience with Brazilians abroad was here in New York. My parents took me to a Brazilian restaurant where I made friends with one of the waitresses and the owner. They were so shocked that I was a gringa who lived in Brazil AND spoke Portuguese, they couldn't stop asking me questions. The waitress in particular seemed so delighted that I was practically Brazilian. It made me very happy.

Now let's talk about Eli. Of the few Brazilians he met in Europe, he got the impression that they were very much self-involved and not interested in helping other Brazilians. He compared them to uber-rich Brazilians in Brazil, who seem to have little interest in helping anyone but themselves (from a philanthropic standpoint, this is usually the case). He says they were overly protective of their success and money and don't want to risk that by helping others. In short, he found them to have a lack of camaraderie and empathy for their fellow countrymen.

Finally, let's take a look at one of my gringa friends, who just spent half a year teaching in Argentina. She's been traveling there and this is what she said:

I'm traveling alone and I was excited but a bit nervous about it. I was also especially nervous since everyone who walked passed me spoke Portuguese. But fortunately I shared a room with a lovely Brazilian who adopted me and introduced me to all of her Brazilian friends. They've dragged me with them everywhere and it was wonderful. They are so nice, and somehow we're able to communicate through a mixture of English, Spanish, Portuguese, and sign language...

I have met so many wonderful Brazilians on this trip that I think I'm going to do one of those programs in Brazil to learn Portuguese...Now I know how you felt when you were in Argentina and met Brazilians, its like a breath of fresh air.

get out of my face

One of the things I didn't expect I'd have to deal with in New York are the flier people. The flier people are all over Rio de Janeiro, in neighborhoods rich and poor alike, shoving pieces of paper in your face for salons, restaurants, clubs, you name it. They stand at corners, in front of the Metro, in the middle of the sidewalk, and even walk around the beach shoving fliers at you. I got pretty sick of it.

So when I came home I was surprised I'd forgotten that the situation is almost worse in New York. There are plenty of flier people in Midtown Manhattan, and near my office, downtown, there are the Marketers. Not only do they wield fliers, but some of these people are handing out free samples, trying to get you to buy stuff, or trying to get your money. I don't mind the free sample people so much, but I have just about had it with the DNC canvassers, who plant themselves directly in front of my office nearly every day and scream at passersby: DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE FOR OBAMA TODAY!??! To which I reply, No, I don't. Even though I know their jobs suck, their presence irritates me so much, trying to hit up loyal supporters for cash. Shouldn't they be out trying to convert swing voters in the South?

And then, worst of all, there are the Jews for Jesus. I purposely give them wide berth as not to do anything cruel or crass.

How stereotypes are born: Part II

Today we're going to look at how gringos develop stereotypes about Brazilian cities, specifically Rio. Many people believe that the entire city is a war zone with armed gangsters at every turn.

Below are two photos of children in Rio: the first, from the movie "City of God," and the second is a real photo.

 

 

Here are two other photos of kids in Rio:

 

 

 

 

Lesson learned: Parts of Rio are war zones, mostly the poorest parts, like in LA or Chicago. But a movie shouldn't create your frame of reference for a whole city or country, since Rio is no Baghdad. And the whole of Brazil is certainly not the City of God.