VOICE TWO:

In Brazil, artists use hip-hop to express social inequalities and racial issues. In the largest city, Sao Paulo, one of the oldest hip-hop groups is Racionais MC's. They started their music group in nineteen eighty-eight. Their songs are about social injustices in the city, including police violence against young people.

Many of their songs are about people living in poor areas called favelas. The members, Mano Brown, Ice Blue, Edy Rock and DJ KL Jay, all lived in favelas. The singers are also activists for the work and goals of their songs. In nineteen ninety-two Racionais MC's joined forces with Brazil's Ministry of Education.  They visited schools to teach people about life in the favelas, including issues related to drugs, police violence, poverty and racism.  They have also used their music to earn money for health clinics, youth sports programs and schools.  In two thousand nine they released their sixth album called Ta Na Chuva.

VOICE ONE:

In Rio de Janeiro, a famous hip-hop artist called Marcelo D2 also lived in a favela.  However, when he turned thirteen he left the area to work. Some of his friends who remained in the favelas were killed in gun battles with criminal groups. His first productions in hip-hop were in nineteen ninety-five in a group called Planet Hemp.  Three years later he left the group and produced his own album. His songs are about his life experiences. Marcelo D2 became famous when he created a new form of hip-hop by mixing it with the Brazilian music called samba.

Marcelo D2 has performed with famous American hip-hop artists such as will-i-am from the Black Eyed Peas. He has also performed with the famous Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes.

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VOICE TWO:

Wyclef Jean is one of the top socially conscious hip-hop artists in the world.  Wyclef was born in Haiti. At the age of nine he moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York and later to New Jersey. He was a member of the hip-hop group called the Fugees with Lauryn Hill and Prakazrel Samuel Michel, also known as Pras.

Wyclef has since released seven of his own CDs and will have an eighth coming out in January. Wyclef's songs are a mix of social and political issues as well as entertainment. Many of his songs are about the life of refugees or immigrants in the United States.  Wyclef brings attention to the injustices some immigrants experience in the United States.

VOICE ONE:

In two thousand five, Wyclef formed the Yeli Haiti Foundation.

The foundation works on issues such as education, health, environment and community development. It also works with the World Food Organization and the Pan American Development Foundation to help Haitians, especially after the food shortage riots last year.  In two thousand seven, Haitian President Rene Preval appointed Wyclef a traveling ambassador to represent the country. Recently, Wyclef travelled to Haiti with former President Bill Clinton and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon .

This past summer, the Black Entertainment Television network, BET, honored Wyclef with its Award for Humanitarian Work. And Wyclef was named hip-hop's unofficial multicultural conscience.

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