Rap das Armas
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Parapapapapapapapapapa, papara papara papara clack bum, Parapapapapapapapapapa! The original lyrics: Morro do Dendê é ruim de invadir Translated and annotated lyrics[1] The neigbourhood of Dendê is hard to invade ... With an AK47 and the other with a machine gun
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Rap das Armas (Rap of Weapons) is a Brazilian "proibidão" song by that has become very popular through the Brazilian film Tropa de Elite, however the original song was already very popular in the early 1990s (there is no info on original release dates on discogs), the one in the film was remixed with modified lyrics to make it sound like a social protest, something the original song is not. The original song illustrates the elite police who invade the favelas (shantytowns) on a daily basis to fight the drug dealers. The lyrics deal with fireweapons such as the AK47, the AR-15, the M-16 and the Uru popular among drug dealers and the confronts by the police with drug dealer factions. The sympathies are clearly on the side of their supported drug dealer faction. The song was produced by MC Cidinho and MC Doca, two proponents of the "proibidão" style (Songs that are prohibited by the Court due to alleged crime apology). Despite its popularity, the song is never played on the radio, and was taken out of the movie's soundtrack after 2 weeks. The motive behind this was that the lyrics in "Rap das Armas" praise the use of drugs, the criminal factions of Rio de Janeiro, and the drug dealers themselves.
This song illustrates the violence of everyday life in the favelas. Brazilians are in danger not only when they take drugs but also when they take the bus or attend funk dances. (Yúdice, George. “The Funkification of Rio.” In Microphone Fiends, 193-220. London: Routledge, 1994.)
The Tropa de Elite soundtrack features the original version of "Rap das Armas" by MC Júnior & MC Leonardo e a Bateria da Rocinha.
In the Netherlands a remix made by DJ Quintino has reached the number 1 spot in the charts.
See also