Brazil: Art and Dialogue in Cidade de Deus

I was pleased to watch an interest show on Brazil's infamous Cidade de Deus/City of God. In an episode of the show 4 Real, American rap artist Mos Def accompanied the 4 Real host Sol and met up with Brazilian rap artist MV Bill, who was holding one of Brazil's biggest hip hop and rap events in order to raise funds for the recreation centre he created to help the kids of his neighbourhood escape a life of drugs and guns and develop a sense of a future to strive for in their lives. MV Bill, who created a documentary called Falacao: Meninos do Trafico, about the children living in Rio's slums quickly became the soul of the program, still living in Cidade de Deus despite his success, he was able to bring a great amount of attention to the problems facing Brazil's favelas. Of the 8 children featured in his film, 7 of them has already been killed. MV's documentary had such as effect on Brazil that the President took a tour of the shantytown's with MV Bill and formed a list of 17 requirements with MV Bill for his community and others like them in Brazil.

Brazil is know for having one of the worst crime rates in the world. Despite many countries in civil war and infamous battles in Iraq and Afghanistan, drug wars in places in Brazil, Colombia and recently Mexico often result in many more people being killed in internal drug wars and conflicts than in many civil wars and conflicts worldwide. While poverty no doubt plays a major role, as in South Africa, guns and drugs develop a culture where survival is the only reason for living and death as claimed by one victim in MV's documentary, that death would be welcomed as it would allow for the young man to rest after a life of despair. While the City of God has gained global attention in recent years through film and local activities in Brazil, the life in many slums of the developing world can only be understood by those such as Mos Def and the team at 4 Real who are willing to speak to those in the favelas and know their communities first hand in order to focus on a future for many in those communities.

4 Real is quite an inspirational program and often takes star from the developed world like Mos Def from the US and M.I.A from the UK and brings them into communities and links them with local heroes in order to create a dialogue between different communities. Often the stars are from desperate communities in the US or UK as well (with the exception of Cameron Diaz!) which gives an entirely new perspective on life in poverty in New York or London, and poverty in Rio De Janeiro or Port-au-Prince. Often race issues, such as those in Brazil or even in developed countries like the underreported riot of Haitian immigrants living in Montreal makes little news in their own countries. I encourage everyone to take a look at Mos Def and MV Bill in Rio in the link below. Obrigado!