Collaboration of Brazilian musicians Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil .
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Caetano Veloso

Birth name Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso
Born August 7, 1942 (1942-08-07) (age 66)
Origin Santo Amaro da Purificação, Bahia, Brazil
Genre(s) Música Popular Brasileira, Tropicalismo, Pop, Psicodelia, Standards
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, writer
Instrument(s) Voice, guitar
Years active 1967–present
Website http://www.caetanoveloso.com.br

Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (born August 7, 1942), better known as Caetano Veloso, is a composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. He has been called "one of the greatest songwriters of the century"[1] and is sometimes considered to be the Bob Dylan of Brazil.[2] Veloso is most known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s, at the beginning of the Brazilian military dictatorship.

Veloso was born in Bahia, a state in the northeastern area of Brazil, but moved to Rio de Janeiro as a college student in the mid-1960s. Soon after the move, Veloso won a music contest and was signed to his first label. He became one of the founders of Tropicalismo with a group of several other musicians and artists—including his sister Maria Bethânia—in the same period. However the Brazilian government at the time viewed Veloso's music and political action as threatening, and he was arrested, along with fellow musician Gilberto Gil, in 1969. The two eventually were exiled from Brazil, and went to London, where they lived for two years. After he moved back to his home country, in 1972, Veloso once again began recording and performing, becoming popular outside of Brazil in the 1980s and 1990s. He has so far won five Latin Grammy Awards. He recorded his first all-English album, A Foreign Sound in 2004. The album contains many American standards.

Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (born June 26, 1942), better known as Gilberto Gil (IPA: [ʒiu̯berto ʒiu̯]), is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and his political commitment. Since 2003, he has been serving as his country's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Gil began playing music as a child and was still a teenager when he joined his first band. He started out as a bossa nova musician, eventually writing songs that reflected a new focus on political awareness and social activism. He was a key figure in the Música Popular Brasileira and Tropicalismo movements of the 1960s, alongside artists such as longtime collaborator Caetano Veloso. The Brazilian military regime that took power in 1964 saw both Gil and Veloso as a threat, and the two were held for nine months in 1969 before they were told to leave the country. Gil moved to London, but returned to the Brazilian state of Bahia in 1972 and continued his musical career, as well as working as a politician and environmental advocate.

Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including rock, Brazilian genres including samba and forró, African music, and reggae.

Rap Popcreto
Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Quem
Quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem

Quem
Quem, quem

Quem
Quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem

Quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem

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Quem, quem, quem

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Quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem

Quem, quem, quem

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Caetano Veloso's song "Rap Popcreto" are deceptively simple, consisting mostly of repetitions of the word "quem" (which means "who" in Portuguese) in various forms. This repetition of "quem" creates a rhythmic and hypnotic effect, drawing the listener into the song's groove.

The repetition of "quem" could be interpreted in several ways. On one level, it can be seen as a reflection on identity and existence. The insistence on the question of "who" suggests a quest for self-discovery and meaning. It raises existential questions about who we are, who we want to be, and how we navigate through life.

At the same time, the repetition of "quem" can also be seen as a commentary on the superficiality and emptiness of pop culture. The constant repetition of the question highlights the relentless and often mindless nature of mainstream entertainment. It challenges the listener to reflect on their own consumption of popular media and the impact it has on their own identity and sense of self.

Overall, "Rap Popcreto" is a thought-provoking song that encourages introspection and reflection on personal identity and the influence of popular culture.

Line by Line Meaning

Quem
Who

Quem, quem, quem
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Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Who, who, who, who, who

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Who, who, who, who

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Who, who

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Who, who

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Who, who, who

Quem, quem, quem, quem
Who, who, who, who

Quem, quem, quem, quem, quem
Who, who, who, who, who