Robin Denselow 

Criolo: Convoque seu Buda review – Brazilian star back with more thoughtful, diverse hip-hop

Favela-born Kleber Gomes returns with another album as Criolo, tackling Brazil’s social problems against an adventurous sonic backdrop, writes Robin Denselow
  
  

Criolo, aka Kleber Gomes
Thoughtful and hard-hitting … Criolo, aka Kleber Gomes Photograph: /PR

Criolo, AKA Kleber Gomes, became a major star in Brazil four years ago with the release of Nó Na Orelha, and now at last comes the followup. Brought up in the favelas outside São Paulo, he stacked shelves and worked with street children until he shook up the Brazilian rap scene by mixing hip-hop with an adventurous range of musical styles. The new album continues the experiment. Produced by David Ganjaman and Marcelo Cabral, whose keyboards, programming and bass provide much of the backing, the album matches Criolo’s cool, thoughtful balladry and rap against settings that range from easygoing samba and stomping dub reggae to jazz and forro from north-east Brazil. The songs tackle Brazil’s wealth divide, the problems of street children and the story of a transport strike that leaves people without fresh bread; it’s just regrettable that no translations of his famously hard-hitting lyrics are provided.

 

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