Marcelo D2 started his carrer as the lead singer of the band Planet Hemp, and now follows a solo career since 1998, but claiming that "I haven't given in yet, only joined a foe I can't beat". His first solo release was Eu tiro é onda (a Carioca slang that means "I'm the best"), recorded in his own studio by David Corcos and mixed in New York and Los Angeles by Carlos Bass. This release was very well accepted by the public and the Hip-hop movement of São Paulo, for being innovative and making big names of the scene, such as Black Alien & Speed ,Zé Gonzalez, DJ Nuts and B.Negão, known in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The hit wasn't bigger due to the fact of "not feeling comfortable away from his hometown"; he would soon become father of a boy, Lucas, bringing his career to a short pause.
Other hits were: O Império Contra-ataca (The Empire Strikes Back), A Maldição do Samba (The Curse of Samba), Qual é? (What's Up?), Loadeando (raw translation of "Loading"), and Mantenha o Respeito (Keep Respect). Most of these songs are about his childhood life.
Marcelo D2 also appeared as a guest performer on two tracks of Sergio Mendes's album Timeless, as well as producing songs for the OST of the film A Taça do Mundo é Nossa (The World Cup is Ours).
Trivia: "D2", among drug users in Brazil, means "to smoke marijuana".
Malandro é Malandro e Mané é Mané
Marcelo D2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mané é mané
Podes crer que é
Malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Diz aí!
Podes crer que é...
Que sabe das coisas
Malandro é aquele
Que sabe o que quer
Malandro é o cara
Que tá com dinheiro
E não se compara
Com um Zé Mané
Malandro de fato
É um cara maneiro
Que não se amarra
Em uma só mulher...
E malandro é malandro
Mané é mané
Diz prá mim!
Podes crer que é
Malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Olha aí!
Podes crer que é...
Já o Mané ele tem sua meta
Não pode ver nada
Que ele cagueta
Mané é um homem
Que moral não tem
Vai pro samba, paquera
E não ganha ninguém
Está sempre duro
É um cara azarado
E também puxa o saco
Prá sobreviver
Mané é um homem
Desconsiderado
E da vida ele tem
Muito que aprender...
E malandro é malandro
Mané é mané
Diz aí!
Podes crer que é
E malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Diz prá mim!
Podes crer que é...
Malandro é o cara
Que sabe das coisas
Malandro é aquele
Que sabe o que quer
Malandro é o cara
Que tá com dinheiro
E não se compara
Com um Zé Mané
Malandro de fato
É um cara maneiro
Que não se amarra
Em uma só mulher...
E malandro é malandro
Mané é mané
Diz aí!
Podes crer que é
Ih!
Mas malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Diz prá mim!
Podes crer que é...
Já o Mané ele tem sua meta
Não pode ver nada
Que ele cagueta
Mané é um homem
Que moral não tem
Vai pro samba, paquera
E não ganha ninguém
Está sempre duro
É um cara azarado
E também puxa o saco
Prá sobreviver
Mané é um homem
Desconsiderado
E da vida ele tem
Muito que aprender...
E malandro é malandro
Mané é mané
Diz prá mim!
Podes crer que é
E malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Diz aí!
Podes crer que é
Eh!
Malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Olha aí!
Podes crer que é
Sim!
Mas malandro é malandro
E mané é mané
Podes crer que é
E malandro é malandro
Mané é mané
Olha aí!
Podes crer que é!
The lyrics of Marcelo D2's song Malandro é malandro e mané é mané can be translated to mean "A shrewd man is shrewd, and a fool is a fool. You can bet on it. A shrewd man is shrewd, a fool is a fool. Say it! You can bet on it." The song speaks to the differences between a shrewd man, or malandro, and a fool, or mané. The shrewd man knows what he wants, and pursues it with determination, often with financial success. He is not tied down to one woman and enjoys the finer things in life. The fool, on the other hand, lacks direction and moral fiber. He is often broke and sycophantic, seeking to survive by any means necessary.
The lyrics celebrate the virtues of being a shrewd man, someone who is savvy and keeps his eyes on the prize. The song paints the picture of a man who has achieved financial success and social power, and is not afraid to be his own man. In contrast, the fool is seen as a hapless, directionless figure who has much to learn. The song is reflective of the social and cultural values of some neighborhoods in Brazil, where the concepts of malandro and mané are prominent.
Overall, Marcelo D2's song Malandro é malandro e mané é mané speaks to the cultural and social values surrounding what it means to be a successful person in Brazil. It highlights the importance of being shrewd and determined in pursuing one's goals, while also highlighting the ways in which a lack of direction and moral fiber can lead to less desirable outcomes.
Line by Line Meaning
E malandro é malandro
A true hustler is someone who knows what they're doing and is always looking to succeed.
Mané é mané
A fool will always be a fool, with no real understanding of how to succeed.
Podes crer que é
Believe that it's true.
Malandro é o cara
A true hustler is someone who is always on top of things and knows how to get exactly what they want.
Que sabe das coisas
They know how things work and how to make them work for them.
Malandro é aquele
A true hustler is someone who is focused and knows exactly what they want out of life.
Que sabe o que quer
They're certain about what they want and won't settle for anything less.
Malandro é o cara
A true hustler is someone who has money and is successful.
Que tá com dinheiro
They have enough money to live the life they want and are always looking for ways to make even more.
E não se compara
They can't be compared to a 'Zé Mané,' or someone who is unsuccessful and doesn't aspire to be more.
Com um Zé Mané
They're not like someone who is just wandering around aimlessly without any goals in life.
Malandro de fato
A true hustler is someone who is cool and has style.
É um cara maneiro
They're appealing to those around them and are liked by many, but they don't tie themselves down to one person.
Que não se amarra
They don't commit to one person or thing but are always exploring different options and opportunities.
Em uma só mulher...
They're not tied down to one woman or relationship, and instead are always looking for more options.
Já o Mané ele tem sua meta
A fool has their own goals.
Não pode ver nada
They can't see anything beyond their narrow focus on reaching their own goals.
Que ele cagueta
They'll tell on others who may be getting in their way or trying to achieve the same goals.
Mané é um homem
A fool is someone who lacks morals and principles.
Que moral não tem
They don't have a solid moral foundation to guide their actions and decisions.
Vai pro samba, paquera
They waste their time partying and trying to impress others instead of working towards their goals.
E não ganha ninguém
They don't have any success or achievements to show for their efforts.
Está sempre duro
They are always broke and struggling financially.
É um cara azarado
They have bad luck and are constantly facing setbacks and obstacles.
E também puxa o saco
They try to win favor with others by sucking up and being subservient.
Prá sobreviver
They do whatever it takes to get by, even if it means compromising their morals and values.
Desconsiderado
A fool is someone who is not respected by others and doesn't command authority or influence.
E da vida ele tem
They have a lot to learn in life and are far from achieving their goals.
Muito que aprender...
They have a lot to learn in life and are far from achieving their goals.
Contributed by Henry S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.