The Eclectic Music of Northeast Brasil

The music of Recife is some of the most forward-thinking music in all of Brasil.

NAÇÃO ZUMBI, Mestre Ambrosio & DJ Dolores are some of my favorites in this movement.
Music that combines the organic roots of the sertão with the urban edge of the teeming Nordeste cities.
Accordions & violins with surdos, triangles and sampled hip-hop beats.
This music is honest,instead of sounding like some derivative mix.
It's about musicians who refuse to discard their roots as being passe.

Bezerra Da Silva, Godfather of Gangsta Samba

The Man; Bezerra da Silva has to be one of the funniest songwriters in Brasil.
If Samba is the poorman's news report then Bezerra Da Silva is the news anchor of the Favelas. His wry humor cuts to the painful underbelly of truth that lives outside of Brasil's
carefully crafted tourist image of Copacabana beach. This is raw Gangsta Samba not unlike the narco-corridos of Mexico's tough border towns but much more humorous.

I bought this in Brasil

Ubuntu

Sawubona from Paarl & Cape Town,South Africa

Ubuntu: A Zulu word for Humanity.
People in South Africa can be very gentle and kind.
Everywhere I went I was treated like a well respected guest.
In Durban, In Cape Town, In Paarl & Stellenbach I was welcomed and cared for.

Rasheed Ali & Rain People Available on iTunes

Rasheed Ali & Rain People are Now Available on iTunes.

Rasheed Ali & Rain People: Thunder in the Jungle

Rasheed Ali & Rain People: Tristeza e Beleza na Cidade Negra

Rasheed Ali & Rain People: Agua Que Va a Caer

Rasheed Ali: The Empty Vessel Speaks

Hands Across The Water

Rasheed Ali & Rain People are reaching out to other members of Our Tribe.

I am very excited by all of the web activity we've experienced recently.

Since Digital Rain Factory is a small indie record label, we really appreciate
every single download or internet hit that we get!
Not having the big dollar resources of a major record label means
we depend totally on word-of-mouth from every listener.

I'm new to having a blog but I have kept a journal for some time on my website:
http://www.rainpeople.com/voices.html

I don't want to be repetitive but I have been encouraged by fans of my music to feel free to express myself without being self-conscious. It's actually fun! I even got a myspace account where I could post some video.

We plan on doing some PODCasting and posting radio interviews as well.
Ultimately, I'm just trying to reach out with hands across the waters of the internet.

Rasheed Ali & Rain People Song Downloads are available on many internet music sites worldwide:

Apple iTunes
Napster
Emusic
Sony Connect
MSN Music
MusicNow
Verizon Wireless
Rhapsody
Destra
WrapFactory
Arvato
Daiki (Music Online Corp)
GroupieTunes
Mouzika
Choice Records
MP3tunes
Chondo
YooPeDoo
PayPlay
BuyMusic
AudioLunchbox
USEN Corporation
MusicNet
Bitmunk
DigitalKiosk
Interia
MOD Systems
GreatIndieMusic
Liquid Digital Media
MP3-Extension
Weed
MusicIsHere
PeerImpact
Inprodicon

Na Cidade Negra

NA CIDADE NEGRA

Aqui nesta Cidade foi nascido Ilê -Aiyê
Nossa Cidade Negra é o Centro do Candomblé
Uma identidade cultural foi criada por aqui,
O quem tem entendimento minha gente, Diga aí!
Ninguém pode revogar a nossa propia dignidade
A gente tem o namoro Dos Tambores da Liberdade,
uma rede da inspiração foi fundado por aqui,
O quem tem entendimento minha gente, Diga aí!

Aqui todo mundo entra na paixão do Carnaval,
uma tradição enraizada, Nossa narrativa cultural
Uma onda Africana passa por aqui,
O quem tem entendimento minha gente, Diga aí!


cdbaby.com/cd/rainpeople2

-as letras da canção: "Na Cidade Negra" por Rasheed Ali

Dangerous Women : Mulheres que brigam

Capoeira crosses gender lines in Bahia.

Beautiful women can careen through the air with a deadly ease.

Delivering a devastating blow with the whirlwind of a human tornado.

All I can do is ...watch!

Filhos de Gandhy on final day of Carnaval 2006

Filhos de Gandhy changed their famous white turbans to blue this year...everyone agreed that the traditional white turban was better.The "Sons of Ghandi" are part of the enduring pageantry of a bygone era that the modern commercial carnaval threatens to eclipse.

By the Sea : Pelo Mar

Brasil can be an ultra-modern country in some respects but it still retains much of the simple life. I am inspired to write a new song or gather an inspiration along the way.














No fundo do mar,
ao lado do mar, aqui pelo mar...

Eu mergulhei
(porque) eu quero saber o que está embaixo...
eu mergulhei!
eu tentei saber
o que eu não sei...eu mergulhei...

Nesta vida louca, o que é que sobra?

This is a song that I was inspired to jot down: 27/2/06 bahia

A Saida do ILÊ AIYÊ

Going to Bahia to perform is surely a wonderful honor but going to the ILÊ AIYÊ send off, in their home neighborhood of Liberdade, was food for my soul. My favorite Bloco Afro in Salvador, I have a great reverence for every aspect of their mission.

Minha Peregrinação....
My Pilgrimage






I love to see the sisters playing along side the brothers, everyone can play the drums in Bahia!

Salvador Carnaval 2006

Salvador Carnaval 2006

"Tribos Urbanas"

Rasheed Ali was invited to perform in Salvador , Bahia / Brasil Carnaval 2006 as Special Guest Artist with the Bloco: Conexão Tribal (Tribal Connection).

The Bands' theme this year was:Tribos Urbanas (Urban Tribes).

We are editing the video footage that we shot as a mini-documentary.