Morar na Favela não é Fácil/Livin' in the Hood ain't easy

One of our most successful projects over the last several years has been City of Rhyme, a group of young rappers from the most violent favelas of Recife, in Brazil's poor northeast.  MC Okado's "Livin' in the Hood Ain't Easy", composed when he was 14 years old, became an anthem in the city: I remember that several days after the concert that launched the group, where 5000 people from every social class saw the kids perform downtown, I was in an entirely different part of Recife and heard two kids beat-boxing and rapping the song.  It really captures the challenge of living in the favela... and then pride kids have that they are able to survive and even thrive in aplace that would kill almost anyone else.

The lyrics, translated into English:

Living in the slum ain’t no easy task.

Those who live in Arruda must be alert. I say,

Living in the slum ain’t no easy task.

Those who live in Santo Amaro must also be alert.

Many brothers are gone, but I’m still around

I’m a B-boy, a capoeirista, a graffiti writer, an MC.

C’mon over, bro’

I’m M.C. Okado, from the edge of the canal.

And I’m telling you:

When I’m on stage, I don’t envy anyone,

In this material world, you’re worth what you own.

“We’re from the slum, so we face discrimination when applying for work”

“And then, when we get work, they say we’re sell-outs”

The slums are full of junkies,

Bullets fly everywhere,

Kids can’t play outside without risking their lives.

With so much violence around me, I don’t even know what to do.

But God is with me, and I’ll never get involved.

Living in the slum -- what a nightmare!

Most killings take place in Cardinô.

He’s responsible for the ruin of Pernambuco

Is proud of having eliminated so many of our brothers.

He feeds on gunshots and corpses.

He has no talent, no ideas, no common sense, and nothing to talk about.