Putos Qui A Ta Cria on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

Lisbon, as many other European capitals, is rich of contradictions: not far from the paradise-like beaches, harbours, private neighbourhoods, sightseeings and expensive places there are slums and social quarters in which mostly African immigrants live. As is often the case, immigrant communities are stigmatised by society and made responsible for all sorts of problems. For young people, immigrants or so-colled second generations, this is problematic from two sides. They are excluded from the society in the country in which they were born and live, and they are excluded from the society in the countries where there parents were born and lived. One way of expressing this dilemma and the frustrations it brings along has always been music. It is one of the few ways in which the young Portuguese minority of African ethnical origin engages with their situation pro-actively.

Target group The project wants to work directly with 15 young rappers who have strong connections with their local community in different neighbourhoods around Lisbon. Through the music, the project addresses a much higher number of African-Portuguese young people living in the social quarters surrounding the capital.

Aim of the project The project seeks to empower local youth rappers to work together on a common musical project addressed to African-Portuguese youth and aiming to prevent violence and stimulate understanding, dialogue and co-operation across between African minority groups and across borders of different social quarters of Lisbon.

Impact of the project The project has managed to attract and involve 15 young rappers from different neighbourhoods in three municipalities around Lisbon. These rappers, all of which were involved in some form of minority youth organisation or group in their respective quarter, worked together for several months on lyrics and music for a number of songs. The group came together for an initial 4-days training on human rights, participation, citizenship as well as group work and using music in non-formal learning. During these initial days they decided on their name which means “the kids that are growing”. For months, they continued to meet every two weeks in rotation in a different neighbourhood, combining their progress on the music project with getting to know the different realities around Lisbon. The texts which they developed, discussed, questioned, explored and agreed together reflect these experiences. They deal with social exclusion, with gender equality, with the right to access information, with schooling and many other issues and problems not only relevant for the team of rappers but also for the African-Portuguese youth – their audience. Breaking up stereotypes and prejudices about other suburbs was part of the educational approach as much as identifying ways and means to do something pro-actively, to find an alternative to being and feeling excluded. Consequently, the lyrics of the songs are very well researched, well written and, while being realistic, they are much more positive than often assumed.

A CD and a DVD with rap music, completely conceived by the participants were recorded finally. The young people organised a youth festival dedicated to the realisation that another world was possible for young people with difficulties. During the work on the CD and DVD they also had the chance to experience working with Internet tools. Another result was a TV interview and distribution of sound tracks on the internet.

Este projecto foi financiado pela Comunidade Europeia através da medida 3 do Programa JUVENTUDE - Iniciativas Jovens.

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