Transgender rapper and activist Rosa Luz received threats online after she posted an image on her Facebook account promoting a new single.
Read More »Brazil: Sponsorship of cultural activities limits freedom of expression
The use of tax incentive mechanisms in order to guarantee and encourage cultural freedom of expression has become challenging in Brazil’s cultural sector.
Read More »Brazil: Exhibition closed early over controversial works
Santander Bank’s cultural centre closed an art exhibition a month ahead of schedule after heavy criticism that works allegedly alluded to taboo topics.
Read More »Brazil: Poet censored in Bahia
A billboard displaying Livia Natalia’s ‘Quadrilha’ poem, in the city of Itabuna in southern Bahia, was taken down after four days due to its portrayal of a black character killed by military police; the billboard was originally approved to stay up for two months, Brazilian newspaper Globo reported on 21 …
Read More »Brazil: The music Brazil doesn’t want you to be listening to
Leading up to the World Cup in Brazil, with sounds of gunfire in the background, forbidden funk rappers continued to talk about what the government wants to hide: extreme violence, social segregation and racism in the favelas. By Debora Baldelli Girls dance at a baile funk party in the Rocinha, the …
Read More »Artist Alert: August and September 2013 | Article 19
Newsletter from Article 19, published on article19.org on 21 October 2013: Art, in any form, constitutes a key medium through which information and ideas are imparted and received. Artist Alert, launched by ARTICLE 19 in 2008, highlights cases of artists around the world whose right to freedom of expression has …
Read More »Brazil: Ban on songs that encourage violence against women and gays
The Brazilian state Bahia has approved a law banning the use of public funds to pay for events where songs that offend women and gays are played. The state legislature of the north-eastern state of Bahia approved the law on 27 March 2012, and hereafter the Governor of Bahia, …
Read More »Brazil: Mayor bans rap music
During the carnival period anyone caught listening to Brazilian funk or rap in Sao Lourenco, situated in south-eastern Minas Gerais state, will have to turn it off or face arrest and up to six months in prison. Sao Lourenco’s mayor, Jose Neto, has banned carnival revellers from playing funk …
Read More »Brazil: Drug barons ban music in their areas of Rio de Janeiro
Universal rights of freedom of expression, and freedom of movement, are seriously violated in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Hip-hop artists face bans, personal intimidation, harassment and in the worst case death if they don’t obey to the rules, restrictions and ‘code of conduct’ of the gang which controls the …
Read More »1960s Latin America, Caribbean
1960s. Brazil. Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso The Brazilian military coup of 1964 ushered in 20 years of military rule and, with it, strict censorship of broadcast music – and especially of Musica Popular Brasileira. Numerous musicians during that period spent time in exile, including Chico Buarque, Gilberto …
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