RACIAL CLASSIFICATIONS WITHIN RAP: RACIAL CATEGORIES MOBILIZED WITHIN THE DISCOGRAPHY OF THE GROUP RACIONAIS MC’S

Abstract

Racionais Mc's are pioneers in Brazilian rap and have political and artistic relevance, representing the cultural core of this musical genre by observing the trends, meanings, and significance of racial categories within their discography. Among the themes addressed by their lyrics is the daily life of the outskirts of São Paulo (D'Andrea, 2013; Vieira and Santos, 2023). The general objective of this research is to identify the racial classifications mobilized within the discography of Racionais Mc's as the main sample for analysis. Specifically, it is necessary to a) analyze Racionais Mc's lyrics and understand their meaning; b) verify whether racial categories are present in the songs; c) understand the meaning these racial classifications express in the group's lyrics; and finally, d) compare the racial classifications found in musical productions over time to identify social patterns in the lyrics. The research is quantitative and qualitative in nature, based on a comparative analysis of the categories used in the lyrics—here considered as urban ethnographic records—using discourse analysis methodology. The study quantifies and addresses the racial categories identified. It is noteworthy that, in addition to the empirical universe of music being a good object for analyzing racial classifications, there is also a tendency for its uses to change over time.