Current Formation
* Marcelo Falcão - vocals
* Xandão (Alexandre Menezes) - guitars
* Lauro Farias - bass
* Nelson Meirelles - keyboards
* Marcelo Lobato- drums
Origins
O Rappa got their start in 1993, when Jamaican reggae artist Papa Winnie arrived in Brazil for a series of show and needed a back up band to support him. Four people were immediately picked: Nelson Meirelles, a well-known Rio de Janeiro indie producer; Marcelo Lobato, former member of África Gumbe; Alexandre (Xandão) Menezes, a musician with African influences; and Marcelo Yuka, a prolific songwriter and member of KMD-5 at the time. After the shows with Winnie, the foursome decided to keep the band going and added a vocalist and fifth member, Marcelo Falcão, recruited through an ad in Rio’s main newspaper. In 1994, they released their first album, O Rappa, on the Warner label.
Tragedy
In 2001, Marcelo Lobato who was originally on keyboard had to take over drum duties after the band’s original drummer and main songwriter, Marcelo Yuka, was shot multiple times during a robbery near his house in Rio, which severely compromised movement in both his legs and one of his arms. Yuka has been the biggest contributor of the band's social projects for years, even after turning paralytic. He is currently working on other music projects such as F.Ur.T.O.
Discography
* O Rappa - 1994
* Rappa Mundi - 1996
* Lado B Lado A (Side B, Side A) - 1999
* Instinto Coletivo - ao vivo (Collective Instinct - Live) - 2001
* O Silêncio Que Precede o Esporro (The Silence Before the Scolding) - 2003
* Lual MTV - 2004
* Acústico MTV (MTV Unplugged) - 2005
* 7 Vezes - 2008
Lei Da Sobrevivência
O Rappa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ficar sentado e não olhar pra trás
esquecer o passado
olhar o futuro e não se magoar
Que diferenca faz
ficar sentado e não olhar pra trás
esquecer o passado
Agora é verdade
deixo de ser novidade
as mãos estão machucadas
e o sangue a escorrer
(que nem palha de cana que corta
o agricultor)
Eu não quero ficar
esperando
o tempo passar, passar
Quem colhe, quem planta
Tambem tem direito de comer
E comer bem
A comida melhor esta na cidade
Dentro do armazém
Estragando só pro povo ter
Consciência
Que a lei da sobrevivência
É votar e não comer
The lyrics of O Rappa's song Lei da Sobrevivencia reflect the harsh reality and struggles of the impoverished in Brazil. The first stanza makes it clear that ignoring the past and focusing on the future will help avoid getting hurt. The lyrics suggest that the future is the only thing that matters and the past is worth forgetting as it brings only pain. The second stanza adds to the themes of pain and hurt as the lyrics talk about the brutal working conditions that result in blood and sweatshed of the agricultural workers. The song emphasizes the importance of understanding the consequences of the law of survival, which means that voting is far more significant for the poor to survive than mere food. The song stresses that wealth and power are more important than survival in the society they live in.
The chorus is a reflection of the bleak scenario and the state of hopelessness that people are dealing with. The imagery of bloody hands and harsh working conditions highlights the hardships faced by the marginalized communities. The song understands that the progress of the society depends on a lot many things than mere survival. The song exposes the corrupt system and reflects the voice of the people who demand equality, justice, and fair representation.
Line by Line Meaning
Que diferenca faz ficar sentado e não olhar pra trás
What difference does it make to sit down and not look back?
esquecer o passado
Forget the past
olhar o futuro e não se magoar
Look at the future and don't get hurt
Agora é verdade
Now it's true
deixo de ser novidade
It's no longer news
as mãos estão machucadas
The hands are injured
e o sangue a escorrer
And the blood is dripping
(que nem palha de cana que corta o agricultor)
(like the cane straw that cuts the farmer)
Eu não quero ficar esperando o tempo passar, passar
I don't want to wait for time to pass, pass
Quem colhe, quem planta
Whoever harvests, who plants
Tambem tem direito de comer
Also has the right to eat
E comer bem
And eat well
A comida melhor esta na cidade
The best food is in the city
Dentro do armazém
Inside the warehouse
Estragando só pro povo ter Consciência
Spoiling just so the people can be aware
Que a lei da sobrevivência É votar e não comer
That the law of survival is to vote and not to eat
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.