Funk Carioca

Funk Carioca (aka Baile Funk)

The favelas, or shantytowns, of Brazil have developed innovative methods of providing access to music at a low cost while still making a profit. Numerous artists in Brazil produce and sell music and films through alternative selling points at a very low price. The selling points range from newsstands to parties to street vendors in both large and small cities across the country. The music is distributed on formats including conventional CDs, mp3 CDs, and DVDs.

Music vendors have developed a method of music distribution that fits in very well with the remix culture that has developed around Funk Carioca. Funk Caroica, often consisting of samples and other tracks transformed into a Brazilian funk style, has flourished for years predominantly through the local street vendor market. In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, vendors sell customized CDs through street kiosks. The customer is able to select the individual tracks that he or she wishes to purchase directly on a computer screen.(1) The content available is primarily locally produced, further strengthening the grassroots ties to the music. In Rio, the music available is primarily Funk Caroica, but other genres abound as well.

(1) This service resembles one that Starbucks recently announced, which was greatly praised for its innovative character. It is interesting to note that such a model has been used for over three years in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.