There was a time when it seemed that groups like Frederic Galliano presents Kuduro Sound System and Buraka Som Sistema would do for kuduro what groups like Diplo and Bonde do Role did for Funk Carioca: make it popular with hipsters in the United States. But it hasn't happened yet. Why?
posted on Feb 16, 2008 - View this thread

Should you be attending this year's carnival in Rio, you probably won't be seeing a huge float rolling down the parade route depicting an enormous pile of emaciated corpses and a samba-dancing Hitler. But that's only thanks to a Brazilian judge's decision.
posted on Jan 31, 2008 - View this thread

Coke. Guns. Booty. Beats. In the slums of Rio De Janeiro, drug lords armed with submachine guns have joined forces with DJs armed with massive sound systems and rude, raunchy singles. Welcome to the most exciting—and dangerous—underground club scene in the world.
posted on Jul 30, 2005 - View this thread

a visitor to rio takes a bunch of disposable cameras and hands them out to children in the favela of rocinha to take pictures of their lives (via k5) (scroll down)
posted on Aug 30, 2004 - View this thread

Brazil Wants to Build a Wall Social and economic problems out of control? No problem. Brazil plans to literally build a 10 foot wall to separate the haves from the have nots.
posted on Apr 12, 2004 - View this thread

Rio Blames It On The Simpsons. 'The Simpsons...visited Brazil last week (and) made some offbeat observations. (They) found that Rio de Janeiro is a city where all men are bisexual, where fearsome monkeys roam the streets, and tourists are kidnapped by taxi drivers and mugged by children. Unfortunately, the Rio tourist board did not see the funny side and is preparing to sue the producers, Fox, for damage to its international image and loss of revenue. The issue threatens to become a diplomatic incident.'.

How something so obviously ripping the shit out of stereotyping can be so misinterpreted is beyond me, but now 'The Brazilian president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, has entered the fray claiming that the cartoon "brought a distorted vision of Brazilian reality."' Surely the shows makers were trying to do a service to Rio by rubbishing the stereotypes? Apologies, I ain't seen the show, but if you did, what did you think?
posted on Apr 9, 2002 - View this thread

Not Flying Down To Rio For The Carnival? Never mind! Beat the crowds but catch the beat by listening to this year's terrific sambas before the rest of the world can. This is the real shanty-town stuff, not the watered-down touristy rubbish[WindowsMedia required]that passes for Samba. This year my favourite for first prize is Mangueira. What's yours? The Brazilian Carnival[learn all about it here] starts Saturday and goes on straight through to Tuesday. For the latest inside information - including the Bin Laden Mask controversy - O Globo's special web site[In Portuguese]is unbeatable. Enjoy!
posted on Feb 6, 2002 - View this thread

Brothel Goes Live on Net RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Rio de Janeiro's Vila Mimoza (Pamper Village) brothel is propelling the oldest profession in the world into the 21st century. Within the next two weeks, the Vila Mimoza prostitution cooperative, just north of downtown Rio, plans to launch a Web site (http://www.vilamimoza.com.br) aimed at luring customers and making the "village'' a major stop on the tourism trail. Oh boy. Not much different than porn sites, but the "sex workers' labor movement in the 1970s" history tidbit could be interesting.
posted on Aug 27, 2001 - View this thread