Doa a Quem Doer

I started many moons ago in the M.I.C.
Fell in love with rap, became AC
The first time I heard a rapper rhyme
It felt like he wasn’t singing, but just talking,
I was wrong...
Slowly I realized what was going on
A steady beat while the MC rhymed, and that’s how...
I discovered I had a knack
Started writing, but it didn’t come from the heart
I talked about things I didn’t know
Ideas I pulled from the sounds I used to hear
From American MCs who were my heroes
I wanted to imitate the real Bad Boyz
In English because it sounded better
Thought the Portuguese language wasn’t cut out for hardcore
Until one day I realized I was wrong
If they don’t understand what I say, then it’s better
To stay quiet
The end of nineteen eighty-seven

I recorded all my rhymes on a cassette
Old school, listened a thousand times until I memorized
And dreamed of one day showing the world
What I was worth... rhythm and poetry
Words linked in rhymes over a melody
But no one took me seriously
When I said one day they’d hear my sound on a stereo

No matter the cost, to whomever it hurts...

Every time I grab the mic, I’m over the moon
Rap is all I have, appreciate my performance
Not a missionary, but I had a mission to fulfill
Ready to rhyme for anyone who wanted to hear
Meanwhile, Julay joined AC
We rehearsed some lyrics, but it didn’t go beyond that
I had a mic that cost a grand, but worked with kicks
But I saved up and bought a QY10
The hip hop movement was microscopic
Until me and my crew came up with "Trópico"
Sundays in Santos behind the station
Hundreds of kids together, it was a lot of chaos, but
At least we had a place to chill, to listen
Fat beats, rhyming till we drop, "give props"
94 recording until finally...
Hernâni called us and of course, we said yes

No matter the cost, to whomever it hurts...

Recording felt like a dream come true
The conditions were few, but you gotta start somewhere
The intention remains, my brother
But the truth is that "Rapública" gave us a push
We traveled Portugal from coast to coast
QY10, AC had never seen so much cash, word up
For two years, we managed to get some kumbu
Many labels but bullshit talks, like
"I’ll give you this, that, and the other!!!
They knew more than Christ, blah, blah, blah, just seen!
They said: "We love the lyrics, the rhythm has good vibes
But Boss, why don’t you change the chorus?"
It’s easy to see they just wanted another hit
But I wanted "hip to da hop ya don't quit"
Chill, no one controls my style
Mastering this art, MCs tremble when I strut
I make my versatility my trump card
For me, everything is possible, in hip hop I triumph and rise
To the stage, like I’m stepping onto the podium
Until the next episode.