How 150 BPM are taking brazilian funk music to a whole next level

From the MC Fioti’s smash hit “Bum Bum Tam Tam” to the latest latin sensation Anitta’s “Vai Malandra”, brazilian funk music has become one of the most authentic faces of EDM since years, and is still gaining more and more fans acrosss the world, such as the hitmaker Diplo, the recent JLO’s funk redemption, “El Anillo”, and the experimental remix of Becky G’s “Mayores” featuring the brazilian singer Lucas Lucco. But now things are getting hotter than never and brazilians musicians are taking it to a whole next level.

From the hills of Rio de Janeiro to the playlists of Youtube and Spotify, a new funk trend is in the 150 BPM, a faster and more dancing sequence than the BPM that mark the main successes of the genre.

On Youtube, the precursor of this movement was the producer Rennan da Penha, who also plays in one of the biggest dances in the Rio de Janeiro’s favela. In the video platform, the funkeiro has about 320 thousand subscribers, for which he takes first-hand his new productions, mixtapes and, of course, future hits of the genre.

He was responsible for promoting a lot of hits, such as “Não Encosta”, by the brazilian pop-funk singer Ludmilla, “Só Quer Vrau”, a track inspired by Netflix series “La Casa de Papel”, and the recent “Me Solta”, by Nego do Borel, which had it’s performance affected by it's problematic music video, accused of reproducing racism, misogyny and transphobia.

BPM are the number of beats per minute of a song. This is what defines with which bands the music can be mixed, as well as its rhythm and cadence. Before the 150 BPM fever, funk music ranged from 130 BPM to a fall for the 90s, following in the footsteps of the rise of tropical house and dancehall in pop music.

Who joked about this discussion was the brazilian electronic music producer Omulu who, in doubt about 150 or 130 BPM, bet on the middle ground: his new song, “Paredão”, is in the 140 BPM. The song won a music video inspired by the game Grand Theft Auto (GTA), in which the DJ pays a homage to the culture of the “paredões”, popular parties among fans of the genre, in which a “wall” with speakers and amplifiers take the party wherever there are people.

After the hype of 2015 and 2016, when major record companies began to hire artists of this genre and “massify” their productions, funk in 150 BPM emerged as one of the first trends that reflect it’s essence of the street again, with successes that viralize by the hands and interest of the public, without the investment of major brands or labels.

Depending on the songs mentioned above and other hits, such as MC Rebecca’s “Cai de Boca” and MC Kevin’s “Tu Ta Na Gaiola”, this will be a promising and lasting move.

Certainly, the beat won’t stop.

MC 2K is ready to make you dance again with Ruxell-produced track “Luz, Câmera e Ação”: Listen

It was practically impossible to live the Brazilian carnival of 2018 without listening at least once to the scream of MC 2K's “Chupa Xoxota”. The hit, featured on the singer's self-titled debut album, put him in the spotlight as one of the next funk big names and, said and done, here he has one more great song.

With a much more accurate production than its first smash hit, the new single from MC 2K is called “Luz, Câmera e Ação,” and brings the production of none other than Ruxell, who in recent months has also been behind other hits such as “Pesadão,” by singer Iza, and “Arrasta,” by rapper, singer and drag queen Gloria Groove.

MC Tha returns with Jaloo's summer sadness in “Céu Azul”: Listen

Jaloo & MC Tha

“Céu Azul”

The hitmaker of “Valente” and Omulu-produced “Bonde da Pantera”, MC Tha, finally gave us a new masterpiece, this time away from the funk beats and alongside his long-time partner, Jaloo.

The collaboration of the brazilian duo took place on the track “Céu Azul”, another antecipated track from Jaloo’s new album, “Feat”, which will only consist of songs with special guests - it’s first single, “Say Goodbye,” features the female producer Badsista.

In “Céu Azul”, the two rescue a nostalgic lyric, using the metaphor of sadness with the blue of the sky, that gave name to the music.

Listen below:

You can also watch to the colorful music video on Youtube:

Brazilian funk prince Jerry Smith is back with the banger “Vou Falar Pra Tu”: Listen

Jerry Smith

“Vou Falar Pra Tu”

Brazilian funk prince Jerry Smith is back with one more banger.

After a bunch of hits, such as “Menina Braba”, “Troféu do Ano” and “Pode se soltar”, the hitmaker returns with the sound of the charming “Vou Falar Pra Tu” (something like “I’ll Tell You”), full of memorable rhymes and guided by a flute, which remembers the characteristic "Bum Bum Tam Tam", by the also Brazilian MC Fióti.

Unlike the bass and fast-paced BPMs of the last funk hits in Brazil, Jerry Smith's new single sounds like a novelty for both the charts and his own discography, proving once again the versatility of one of the greatest musicians of this generation.

Music is available on all major platforms. Listen below:

What the f*ck is Pitchfunk?

We are not partners or contributors to the original Pitchfork.

This site is a parody, with the intention of discussing and promoting premieres of brazilian funk music, through a humorous language and, ‘cause of the english language, differentiated.

The aim of Pitchfunk is to propose debates that show the funk besides the dancing beats and sticky lyrics, showing that like any other musical genre, brazilian EDM also has its value.

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