I’ve been told they’ll play the “Happiness Rap” (Rap da Felicidade) during the Olympics Opening Ceremony today. Since its unlikely they’ll give a translation or context, let me try to explain — just try, because this would require a thesis.
The chorus roughly translates to “I just want to be happy — Walking quietly in the favela where I was born, yeah . And be proud and aware that poor people have their place”. Carioca Funk is a style, born in the 80s, out of Miami Bass, where the lyrics denounce poverty, police abuse, the discrepancy between the life in the slums and in the “asphalt” (the city), outstanding racism — most money is in the hands of the very few white people in a country that’s very diverse in ethnicity.
The “Rap da Felicidade” was a game changer because it called for people who lived in favelas for being proud of their neighbourhoods, fighting against the violence — caused by the war between the drug lords and the police, and, of course, discrimination by rich people who had never been there — and it became a #1 hit on the radio in 1995. The song is now 21 years old and every single carioca knows the lyrics by heart, and Carioca Funk helped poor favela communities gain power against the status quo. Liking the style of music is not the point (I personally find it fun to dance to!), but the lyrics are the most important part — they represent what a heavily ignored part of the population, who’s usually not given a fuck by anyone, have to say, and, I’ll tell you, they have A LOT to say.
I love how MC Cidinho & Doca — the authors — emphasize how they are proud of their favela, and that the problem is caused by machine-gun bearing policemen, who instigate hate, tension and gun violence amongst the community. The solution for violence in the favelas has been and will always be treating people like people: building roads, schools, hospitals, community centres, sewage treatment plants. Less guns. More respect. Praise Cidinho & Doca.
Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpHYeG8NfQ8
Lyrics in pt_BR, followed by (google) translation in English
“Eu só quero é ser feliz
Andar tranquilamente na favela onde eu nasci, é
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar
Fé em Deus, DJ
Eu só quero é ser feliz
Andar tranquilamente na favela onde eu nasci, é
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar
Mas eu só quero é ser feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz
Onde eu nasci, han
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar
Minha cara autoridade, eu já não sei o que fazer
Com tanta violência eu sinto medo de viver
Pois moro na favela e sou muito desrespeitado
A tristeza e alegria aqui caminham lado a lado
Eu faço uma oração para uma santa protetora
Mas sou interrompido à tiros de metralhadora
Enquanto os ricos moram numa casa grande e bela
O pobre é humilhado, esculachado na favela
Já não aguento mais essa onda de violência
Só peço a autoridade um pouco mais de competência
Eu só quero é ser feliz
Andar tranquilamente na favela onde eu nasci, han
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar
Mas eu só quero é ser feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz
Onde eu nasci, é
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar
Diversão hoje em dia não podemos nem pensar
Pois até lá nos bailes, eles vem nos humilhar
Fica lá na praça que era tudo tão normal
Agora virou moda a violência no local
Pessoas inocentes que não tem nada a ver
Estão perdendo hoje o seu direito de viver
Nunca vi cartão postal que se destaque uma favela
Só vejo paisagem muito linda e muito bela
Quem vai pro exterior da favela sente saudade
O gringo vem aqui e não conhece a realidade
Vai pra zona sul pra conhecer água de côco
E o pobre na favela vive passando sufoco
Trocaram a presidência, uma nova esperança
Sofri na tempestade, agora eu quero a bonança
O povo tem a força, precisa descobrir
Se eles lá não fazem nada, faremos tudo daqui
Eu só quero é ser feliz
Andar tranquilamente na favela onde eu nasci, é
E poder me orgulhar
E ter a consciência que o pobre tem seu lugar, eu
Eu só quero é ser feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz, feliz
Onde eu nasci, han
E poder me orgulhar, é
O pobre tem o seu lugar”
EN
"I just want to be happy
Walking quietly in the favela where I was born, yeah
And be proud
And aware that poor people have their place
Godspeed, DJ
I just want to be happy
Walking quietly in the favela where I was born, yeah
And be proud
And aware that poor people have their place
But I just want to be happy, happy, happy, happy, happy
Where I was born, yeah
And be proud
And aware that poor people have their place
My dear authorities, I no longer know what to do
So violently I’m afraid to live
Because I live in the slum and am very disrespected
Sadness and joy here go hand in hand
I say a prayer for a patron saint
But I stopped the machine-gun fire
While the rich live in a big house and beautiful
The poor are humiliated, degradated in the favela
Can no longer stand this wave of violence
I only ask the authorities a little more competence
I just want to be happy
Walking quietly in the favela where I was born, yeah
And be proud
And aware that the poor people have their place
But I just want to be happy, happy, happy, happy, happy
Where I was born, yeah
And to be proud
And aware that the poor have their place
Entertainment today we can not even think
For even in our parties, they come to humiliate us
In the square it was all so normal
Now it's become a trend to be violent at us
Innocent people who have nothing to do
They are now losing their right to live
I’ve never seen postcard that featured a slum
I only see very beautiful scenery
Who goes abroad misses the slum
The gringo comes here and does not know the reality
Go to the south zone to drink coconut water
And the poor in the slums live through suffocation
They exchanged the presidency, a new hope
I suffered in the storm, now I want a calm
The people have the power, need to find out
If there they do nothing, we will do everything here
I just want to be happy
Walking quietly in the favela where I was born, yeah
And be proud
And aware that the poor people have their place, I
I just want to be happy, happy, happy, happy, happy
Where I was born, yeah
And boast, yeah
That poor people have their place"
