Baile Funk

Baile Funk, or funk carioca, is the title of a hip-hop music and movement style that originated in Rio De Janeiro in the 1980’s.  In recent years, the sounds and samples of funk carioca have been taken up DJ’s across the world. This sweaty, heavy, bass pounding music shares similarities with Miami Bass and Baltimore Club music.  Appreciating this music requires attention not only to how it sounds, but to the social contexts and dance environments in which it was developed. Funk dances were and remain one of the primary ways of organizing and mobilizing communities in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.

Hermano Vianna’s 1987 dissertation,  “O Mundo Funk Carioca” (The World of Funk from Rio) is available on line in Portugues  here.

Silvio Essinger’s 2005 full length account of the world of Funk, is no longer available on amazon but can be bought for about R36/$18 here or with committed googling.

Many American magazines published articles about Baile Funk after the release of the MIA’s album Arular in 2004, the Piracy Funds Terroism remixes that followed, and Diplo’s outspoken interest in Baile Funk and his ‘Favela on Blast’ mixtapes.

Blender 2005 June. Alex Bellos

New Yorker  2005 August. Sasha Frere Jones.

A trailer for The Hollertronix produced documentary that premiered at SxSW can be seen here.  Excerpts also to be found on YouTube.

Ta Tudo Dominadao is a sweet little documentary that brings together many different funkeiro/a voices.

also check out www.bailefunk.net