Rappin’ Hood’s stature is such that he can call on musicians like Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso for co-estrelando duties. His easy, laid-back vocals form a perfect counterpoint to samples of great Brazilian music and slick hip hop.

But Rappin’ Hood knows life from the shit side of the tracks and some of his best work looks at the issues from the point of view of the many in the most unequal society on Earth. Take ‘Ex-157’ for example, tales of prison backed with a funky live band and DJ Luciano peppering it with ‘scratches’.

At the opposite extreme, when fellow Paulista Caetano Veloso was sharing the bill for a concert to celebrate São Paulo’s 450th birthday, the encounter led to them cooking up the unique ‘Rap du Bom Parte II’ — exquisite MPB, great rap and a cello for good measure. Somehow it all works.

Best of all, is ‘Zé Brasileiro’. An addictive tune that raids the Chorinho form for the wonderful tune ‘Preciso Me Encontrar’ (made famous outside Brazil through the City of God soundtrack) — a track that is as beautiful as it is credible. This should by any rights be a huge tune across the world.

The collaboration with Gilberto Gil also comes off on ‘Axé’ — two black Brazilians of different generations celebrating faith while they represent their people. The sung/rapped formula employed on ‘Rap du Bom Parte II’ works again perhaps to even better effect than on the Caetano Veloso track.

So if you love hip hop and classic Brazilian music, this is the record for you. Outstanding.

Rappin’ Hood - Sujeito Homen 2 is released on top Brazilian independent label Trama (993 -2) on 18 July, 2005

Distributed by Cadiz Music