Since the beginning until recently, rap/hip-hop music was directly associated with criminal activities in Brazil.
In the 80’s people from suburbs area would gather in the downtown of São Paulo (Sé and Roosevelt square; Anhangabau Valley, 24 de Maio Street and several subway stations nearby) for soul parties and break dancing — soon enough all these cultural manifestations would join to become the explosive São Paulo Hip-Hop scene.
Lately more recognized by the masses, the genre is acknowledged as a suburb protest voice against the traditional media. Often underestimated, there is also an important role which resides in the social engagement by the (so called) minority with culture, public space and independent self expression.