A Filial
Antonio Carlos Jobim and the Beastie Boys. Vinicius de Morais and De La Soul. Extremes that complement each other. The beauty of the simple things in life, in a musical and lyrical package. Great Hip Hop music: A Filial.
Established in 2000 by Edu Lopes, a well-known contingent of the Rio de Janeiro Hip Hop scene and ex-member of the Funk Fuckers, one of the integrated bands of the Hemp Family—including Planet Hemp, Black Alien, Speed Freaks and O Rappa--, the nucleus that would become the face of the music produced in Rio de Janeiro in the 90s, A Filial has become, in five years, a reference of the legitimate art scene, demonstrating the capability to dissect pre-existing traditions, put them back together and point out new directions for Brazilian music.
A Filial is a fusion of diverse musical elements from the world over: Afro-Cuban, African, erudite, Indian, soul, funk, bossa nova, samba, Afro-Brazilian rhythms and Hip Hop. It’s a Hip Hop style that gives more value to poetry and to more subtle issues of human life than to those concerning urban violence and socio-racial relations.
Presently, A Filial is composed of: Edu Lopes, vocals; Nobru Perneiras, ex-guitarist of the cult band, Cabeça; the keyboardist, Fran Sartori, son of the composer and arranger Maurício Maestro (Boca Livre); Daniel Martins, bassist of the band of Lobão; the saxophonist and flutist Flávio dos Prazeres, son of Heitorzinho dos Prazeres and grandson of the great samba player, Heitor dos Prazeres; Benjamin Lamar Gay, trumpet; Jera Calderon, ex-guitarist of the band Cabeça; DJ Castro, of the Quinto Andar Collective and DJ of the emcee Black Alien, on the turntables, and Rodrigo Pacato, percussionist of Luís Vieira, Mr. Catra and Banda Black Rio.
“The disc is filled with good rhymes, good humor and flavorful vibes. It has a lot of good mixtures of older urban elements with present ones and genuine references to our genius city, Rio de Janeiro.”
Marcelinho da Lua
“With years of active experience in the underground, A Filial has consistence in content, general culture and a ample vocabulary than the national media. The album doesn’t only bring forth political-social issues, but also spiritual ones. All this accompanied by very classy instrumentals.”
Black Alien
“One of the most promising bands of Rio’s new generation. Luxurious disc.”
Kassin
“A Filial has style, attitude, much musicality and widespread intellgence. It’s one of the best things I’ve heard recently.”
Celso Fonseca
“What a great union of a creative past and a progressive, inventive future. A Filial is one of the discoverers of this link that joins and pleases generations apparently so distant.”
Roberto Menescal