Funk do Brasil: Mochakk takes us inside Belo Horizonte’s dark, addictive sound

Written by: Jude Jones
Mochakk, wearing a black sleeveless shirt, stands outdoors with mountains in the background. The natural lighting and clear sky evoke a scene reminiscent of a still from Belo horizonte documentary.

How did funk go from a gritty delicacy of the Brazilian favelas to one of the most infectious dance sounds on the world stage? This April, Beatport – electronic music’s global adjudicator – officially recognised Brazilian funk as an independent genre, recognising what the movement itself has already known for decades. Now, the music platform is collaborating with music company ONErpm to produce a docuseries telling the tale of Brazilian funk from the people who have shaped its sound – hosted by Mochakk, the high-energy Brazilian DJ who has sold out venues from São Paulo to Miami, London to New York.

Still from Belo Horizonte documentary: Two men stand talking outside by a tiled wall with a mountain in the background; one wears a red cap and sports jersey, the other sunglasses and a black tank top. Subtitles read: I think the vision that my friends from Mainstreet showed me. A sprawling cityscape featuring densely packed, colorful houses in the foreground and high-rise buildings stretching into the distance under a hazy sky; a still from Belo horizonte documentary.

Its latest episode takes audiences to Belo Horizonte (BH), a southeast Brazilian super-city known for its modernist architecture and pulsing nightlife. “I think funk from [Belo Horizonte] is darker and made with more cuts than funk from São Paulo,” VHOOR, a DJ famous for his fluid, textured, and sample-heavy sound, tells Mochakk on what makes BH unique.

A person in a white shirt stands in an urban alley with colorful graffiti on the walls and stairways to the left—a still from a Belo Horizonte documentary—brick buildings and greenery visible under a cloudy sky. Rows of stacked, weathered brick houses on a hillside under a pale sky, with yellow subtitles at the bottom reading, ♪ I wait for hard times like life awaits death. Inspired by Brazilian Funk and VHOOR / Mac Júlia. Still from Belo Horizonte documentary.

VHOOR appears alongside serial collaborator Mac Júlia, the larger-than-life rapstress whose songs ooze with confidence, sweat and sex appeal. “The young guys at the VIP get horny,” she screams in one track, “When I dance without panties and get down to the floor.”

The special sound of Belo Horizonte, the trio speculate, is reflective of the city’s special architecture: its wide streets, tall buildings and valley-belly position make the cityscape itself immersive, high-pitched and full of echoes, qualities that infuse into Belo Horizonte’s funk.

Mochakk takes us inside Belo Horizonte’s dark, addictive sound. still from Belo horizonte documentary.

Talking with Gordão do PC, another BH pioneer, the two reflect on what Brazilian funk’s global dissemination means for hometown artists. “I think it is important because funk reaching the USA and Europe opens doors for people abroad to become interested in our beats and melodies. Imagine how cool it would be if we made connections between an artist from here and an artist from there singing together.

“The way funk is expanding, it opens doors.”

Funk do Brasil with @Mochakk episode 3 can be watched on YouTube on the Beatport, Mochakk, and ONErpm channels for free now. The final episode, covering funk in São Paulo, releases next week.

MORE ON THESE TOPICS:

0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop