Global histories a student journal

Musical Lusofonia and the African-Diaspora in Postcolonial : Batida and as a Global Cultural Capital Author: Harry Edwards

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/GHSJ.2019.323

Source: Global Histories, Vol. 5, No. 2 (November 2019), pp. 8-23. ISSN: 2366-780X

Copyright © 2019 Harry Edwards

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Publisher information: ‘Global Histories: A Student Journal’ is an open-access bi-annual journal founded in 2015 by students of the M.A. program Global History at Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. ‘Global Histories’ is published by an editorial board of Global History students in association with the Freie Universität Berlin.

Freie Universität Berlin Global Histories: A Student Journal Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut Koserstraße 20 14195 Berlin

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Musical Lusofonia and the African-Diaspora in Postcolonial Portugal: Batida and Lisbon as a Global Cultural Capital

by HARRY EDWARDS H a r y E d w s ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the role of music as an agent of change

in Portugal since the 1990s, using batida, an African-diaspora | M u s i c a l L inspired and created from Lisbon, as a case study. Using music as a focal point, it will analyse postcolonial discourses around Portuguese national identity u s o f n i a d t h e A and the status of the African-diaspora community within Portuguese society. The paper will seek to address whether it is possible to transform unequal cultural and linguistic relations established under colonialism into new egalitarian and multicultural urban spaces and cultures. It argues that while the

agency of African-diaspora artists is greater than has previously f r i c a n - D s p o P been acknowledged, structural constraints of poverty and still undermine the extent to which the postcolonial Portuguese national identity has shifted to truly embrace its African-diaspora population. o s t c l n i a P o r t u g a l

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry is currently completing his master’s degree in Global History at Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Since starting the MA Global History program, his research focus has been on music in history and how it intersects with power, politics and identity in post-colonial contexts. He is particularly interested in how different forms of electronic dance music transfer, translate and transform as they travel around the world.

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 9 “As a portuguese Girl Eurovision however, the Portuguese o r t u g a l living in a foreign country i planners decided to share a very Can’t be more Proud of my different musical offering with country for showing to the the estimated 186 million viewers World our multicultural roots tuning in from around the world.2 o s t c l n i a P with those African beats with The performance was notable these Amazing artists and giving because unlike most Eurovision them the spotlight they deserve. performances, it blended together We don’t forget about you,you several musical styles originating guys are part of our history/ from migrant and African-diaspora f r i c a n - D s p o P culture and we love you Cap communities in Lisbon. Since the vert,,Mozambique,Sao 1990s, an increasing number of Tomé, Guinée-Bissau and Timor young artists from predominantly oriental. Africa and Portugal disadvantaged diaspora communities united” – valoo2807, 2018.1 have created new types of music

u s o f n i a d t h e A inspired by various musical styles As vivid red light engulfed from Portuguese-speaking African the stage of Lisbon’s Altice Arena, countries (PALOP), their material M u s i c a l L | a man dressed all in white is conditions in postcolonial Lisbon, revealed to the twenty-thousand and other global youth cultures, capacity crowd gathered for the primarily electronic dance music and 63rd edition of the Eurovision Song hip hop. Fernando Arenas claims that Contest. Scheduled to perform the dissemination of these artists’ H a r y E d w s just after the overwhelming sonic music has fundamentally changed smorgasbord of the main contest, popular culture in Lisbon, be that in João Barbosa (better known by everyday language, fashion trends his artist alias Branko)— the man or in the city’s nightlife.3 It seemed dressed all in white—starts to play somewhat apt, therefore, that the his melodic electronic beats for the interval performance at Eurovision night’s interval act. 2018 was the 2018 was sound-tracked by Lisbon first time Portugal had hosted the born veteran DJ and producer world’s largest music event and the Branko, famous for his role in the interval performance was one of band Buraka Som Sistema who the main platforms the organisers popularised Angolan music had to stamp their own mark on the around the world, alongside three event. Rather than remain within Lisbon based vocalists all of Cape the traditional musical paradigm of

2 Evert Groot, “186 Million Viewers for the 2018 ,” Eurovision.tv, May 1 Comment by YouTube user valoo2807 on 23, 2018. https://eurovision.tv/story/186-million- Eurovision Song Contest, “Interval Act: Branko viewers-2018-eurovision-song-contest. & / Dino D’Santiago / Mayra 3 Fernando Arenas, “Migration and the Rise of Andrade – Eurovision 2018.” YouTube Video, African Lisbon: Time-Space of Portuguese May 15, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/ (Post)colonialit,.” Postcolonial Studies 18, no. 4 watch?v=1w1lLjEeDw0. (2015): 159-160.

10 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s Verdean descent: Sara Tavares, Dino significance that music originating D’Dantiago and Mayra Andrade. from Lisbon’s African-diaspora The inclusion of African-diaspora communities has gained. This is

musicians as representatives of testament to the ability of the music | M u s i c a l L Portugal on such a prominent stage is and those who make and support it testament to the country’s increasing to insert themselves into and alter

emphasis on diversity as a part of popular conceptions of lusofonia. u s o f n i a d t h e A Portuguese national identity. However, the choice of Branko, who Left under the official video is White, as the central artist of the of the Eurovision 2018 interval performance is also indicative of performance, valoo2807’s YouTube the limits of official expressions of comment quoted above is illustrative lusofonia. f r i c a n - D s p o P of a developing postcolonial After first analysing Portuguese identity that embraces postcolonial discourses around multiculturalism domestically and Portuguese national identity and historic ties to Portugal’s former the status of the African-diaspora colonies abroad.4 While seemingly community within Portuguese well-intentioned, the comment is society, this paper will thoroughly o s t c l n i a P nonetheless tone-deaf to a longer investigate the role of music as an history of colonial inequalities and agent of change in Portugal since racism in Portugal. Jorge de la Barre the 1990s. In doing so, it will seek o r t u g a l and Bart Vanspauwen argue that to address whether it is possible it can “neither be discarded nor to transform unequal cultural and asserted” that lusofonia, the idea linguistic relations established under alluded to by valoo2807 that the colonialism into new egalitarian Portuguese-speaking world shares and multicultural urban spaces a unique cultural and historical and cultures? This is an important bond that should be celebrated question for researchers, not only and strengthened, is “a mere in Portugal, but across extension of Portugal’s imperial as changing demographics alter dream in the postcolonial age.”5 postcolonial European identities.6 However, lusofonia is a contested This paper will supplement the ideology in itself which cannot be existing literature by using the purely defined as an elite project. underutilised case study of batida, The fact that Branko was made the African-diaspora inspired and the designated performer by the created electronic dance music from Portuguese Eurovision organising Lisbon in the 2000s and 2010s.7 committee demonstrates the national

6 Derek Pardue, , Let’s Go: Creole Rappers and Citizenship in Portugal (University 4 Ibid., 358. of Illinois Press, 2015), 11. 5 Jorge de la Barre and Bart Vanspauwen, “A 7 For an insightful overview of contemporary Musical ‘Lusofonia’? Music Scenes and the electronic dance music in Lisbon alongside a Imagination of Lisbon,” The World of Music New general history see Sam Backer, “Afro-Lisbon Series 2 (2013): 119, 125; 139-140. and the Lusophone Atlantic: Dancing Toward

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 11 Using a mixture of secondary and identity had focused around o r t u g a l sources and primary reporting on asserting the Portuguese’s unique Lisbon’s music scene, this paper will facility to promote cross-cultural argue that the agency of African- exchange and fusion between diaspora artists is greater than has different world cultures. However, o s t c l n i a P been acknowledged in the existing these new discourses came imbued historiography, thanks in part to the with considerable imperialist democratising effects of the internet. baggage that represented a failure Nevertheless, structural constraints to critically engage with Portugal’s of poverty and racism still undermine colonial legacy.9 Animated by the f r i c a n - D s p o P the extent to which postcolonial classic tropes of Portuguese national Portuguese national identity has identity—sea, earth, homeland shifted to truly embrace its African- and language—key components diaspora population. of colonial-era lusotropicalism were recycled back into the

u s o f n i a d t h e A contemporary political zeitgeist LUSOTROPICALISM, LUSOFONIA in the form of lusofonia.10 António AND MIGRATION de Oliveira Salazar’s authoritarian M u s i c a l L | colonial government had adopted Portugal at the tail end lusotropicalism as its official foreign of the Twentieth Century had to policy for Portugal’s remaining fundamentally recalibrate its national African colonies from the 1950s identity and foreign policy. The 1974 until its demise in 1974.11 Theorised H a r y E d w s , decolonisation, by Brazilian anthropologist Gilberto migration from the ex-colonies, and Freyre, the novelty of lusotropicalism European Union membership in 1986 was that it forwarded a positive had drastically altered Portuguese interpretation of Portuguese society, economy and its image colonialism that emphasised of itself.8 By the 1990s, nearly all Portugal’s supposedly less repressive discussions of national history, culture rule, enlightened culture and higher levels of miscegenation when compared to other European colonisers. While the official the Future,” Afropop Worldwide [Podcast audio], September 8, 2016. http://afropop.org/ advocacy of lusotropicalism was audio-programs/afro-lisbon-and-the-lusophone- abandoned after 1974 by subsequent atlantic-dancing-towards-the-future. 8 Miguel Vale de Almeida, “Portugal’s Colonial democratically elected governments Complex: From Colonial Lusotropicalism to in Portugal, a similar sense of Postcolonial Lusophony,” Paper Presented at Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum, inherent cultural exceptionalism Queen’s University, Belfast, April 2008. http://miguelvaledealmeida.net/wp-content/ uploads/2008/05/portugals-colonial-complex. pdf, 8 and Timothy Sieber, “Composing 9 Sieber, “Composing Lusophonia,” 163 and Lusophonia: Multiculturalism and National Almeida, “Portugal’s Colonial Complex,” 8. Identity in Lisbon’s 1998 Musical Scene,” 10 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies 11, ‘Lusofonia’?,” 121 and 123. no. 2 (2002): 163. 11 Almeida, “Portugal’s Colonial Complex,” 1.

12 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s continued to inform Portuguese concept.15 Since the Fifteenth attitudes towards its former Century, migration out of Portugal, colonies.12 Despite the widespread mainly to its colonies or elsewhere in

popularity of Brazilian music and Europe, had been higher than inward | M u s i c a l L television having a more significant migration. However, in the 1960s and role in creating a postcolonial 1970s this started to change.16 The

lusophone imagination, that did first notable increase in immigration u s o f n i a d t h e A not stop Portuguese politicians and started in the 1960s as thousands of cultural institutions in the 1990s more Cape Verdeans were recruited to fill confidently asserting the centrality burgeoning labour shortages in the of Lisbon as the cultural apex of metropole caused by conscription the Portuguese-speaking world.13 to the colonial wars and high rates f r i c a n - D s p o P The 1990s would subsequently of emigration. As with later non- prove to be a vital decade in both White migrants, these peoples’ solidifying and increasing the economic activity was mainly visibility of lusofonia. The decade restricted to construction and low- saw not only the hosting of the World skilled employment. Nevertheless,

Exposition (Expo ’98) in Lisbon and this marked the first steps in what o s t c l n i a P the formation of the Community of Angolan writer José Eduardo Countries Agualusa would later celebrate as the (CPLP) commonly known as the “re-Africanisation of Lisbon,” referring o r t u g a l Portuguese Commonwealth, but it to the city’s ten percent African also saw the concept of lusofonia population during the early-modern taken up by journalists, politicians, period.17 Decolonisation in the non-governmental institution and 1970s would again alter Portugal’s scholars.14 demographic make-up, only this The historical origins time much more radically. Over of lusofonia can therefore be half a million Portuguese nationals found in Portuguese colonialism. would migrate into Portugal from the Nevertheless, migration from former colonies in the immediate Portugal’s former colonies has aftermath of decolonisation. This changed the emphasis of the accounted for over 5% of the total Portuguese population at that time. While most of the predominantly White retornados were able to 12 Ibid, 3. 13 Isabel Ferin Cunha, Stuart Davis, and Joseph integrate relatively seamlessly into Straubhaar, “The construction of a transnational mainstream Portuguese society, Lusophone media space: A historiographic analysis,” Popular Communication 14, no. 4 along with later groups of migrants (2016): 212-213. 14 Bart Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone Musics in the City of Lisbon.” MA diss., Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2010. 15 Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone https://run.unl.pt/bitstream/10362/5681/1/ Musics in the City of Lisbon,” 16. bart.pdf, 13-16. Vanspauwen’s argument is 16 Arenas, “Migration and the Rise of African repeated in Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical Lisbon,” 354. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 132-133. 17 Ibid., 354 and 359.

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 13 from PALOP countries in the 1980s The issue of citizenship for children o r t u g a l and 1990s, non-White migrants faced of migrants born in Portugal has systematic .18 Common exacerbated issues of distrust and with other postcolonial European economic deprivation even further. countries, Portugal sought migrants Denied Portuguese passports under o s t c l n i a P to boost its economy and allay its low the jus sanguinis citizenship policies demographic growth, yet those same established by the 1981 Portuguese migrants habitually faced prejudice Nationality Law, these people were and racism.19 economically and socially barred Fed by latent lusotropicalist from accessing the state, despite f r i c a n - D s p o P assumptions, statements on the non- living their whole lives in Portugal. racist character of the Portuguese While the law was amended in are hegemonic in mainstream the summer of 2018, the damage discourses.20 All the while, migrants of decades of legal uncertainty and diaspora communities from has left the relationship between

u s o f n i a d t h e A the PALOP are disproportionately the Portuguese state and many confronted with social exclusion, in African-diaspora communities economic exploitation, restrictions irreconcilable ruined.23 Portugal’s M u s i c a l L | to citizenship and substandard migratory history is thus inextricably living conditions.21 Pedro Gomes, a linked to its colonial history, with founding member of the influential many of the same racial inequalities Lisbon record label Príncipe Records, under colonialism reflected back into argued in an interview with online cities such as Lisbon.24 Consequently, H a r y E d w s music publication Resident Advisor lusofonia cannot only be assessed that Portugal “didn’t do ghettos the as a concept to understand cultural way New York City did ghettos.” The exchanges between Portugal and Portuguese government “put these its former colonies, but also as a people in the middle of fucking domestic category that tries to nowhere, sometimes with no roads grapple with an increasingly diverse to connect them to civilisation.” It country. was this isolation he reasons that has fuelled levels of distrust between African-diaspora communities and mainstream Portuguese society.22

18 Ibid., 355. 19 Ibid., 356-357 and Etienne Mullet, Neto Félix and Maria Conceiçao Pinto, “Can music www.residentadvisor.net/features/2021. reduce anti-dark-skin prejudice? A test of a 23 Ana Rita Gil, “Amendments to the Portuguese cross-cultural musical education programme,” Nationality Law – Towards an (even) More Psychology of Music 44, no. 3 (2016): 389. Inclusive Citizenship.” globalcit.eu, August 1, 20 Arenas, “Migration and the Rise of African 2018. http://globalcit.eu/amendments-to-the- Lisbon,” 358. portuguese-nationality-law-towards-an-even- 21 Almeida, “Portugal’s Colonial Complex,” 9. more-inclusive-citizenship/. 22 Ryan Keeling, “The Ghetto Sound of Lisbon,” 24 Arenas, “Migration and the Rise of African residentadvisor.net, March 10, 2014. https:// Lisbon,” 354.

14 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s MUSIC AND THE POSTCOLONIAL a way to communicate and engage LUSOPHONE WORLD culturally with the wider lusophone world, as well as acting as a tool with

The 2008 economic crash which to understand an increasingly | M u s i c a l L and Eurozone debt crisis hit Portugal multicultural Portugal.27 However, particularly hard. The Portuguese in the formative stages of what

government’s subsequent will be referred to from now on as u s o f n i a d t h e A acceptance of international financial musical lusofonia, the concept was assistance on the condition of characterised by appropriation and enacting austerity significantly one-sided exploitation of cultural exacerbated social inequality capital. in the country. In this context, An indicative example of the f r i c a n - D s p o P Portugal’s out-migration overtook one-sided relationship established in-migration once again. To a much under a musical lusofonia framework greater extent than other former was Lisbon’s Expo ’98. Timed to colonial European countries, many coincide with the quincentennial of Portuguese emigrants intriguingly the Portuguese ‘discoveries’, the decided to relocate to former exposition provided the Portuguese o s t c l n i a P Portuguese colonies, particularly government with a prominent stage Brazil and Angola.25 Powerful on which to promote their capital diaspora connections and the trade as a modern European city and as o r t u g a l in Portuguese-language cultural an important link between Europe, goods over time has consolidated a South America and Africa.28 The social space around which lusofonia musical programming at Expo could be imagined.26 Nevertheless, ’98—one of the main draws of the as Barre and Vanspauwen argue, it festivities—aimed to magnify Lisbon’s was with music that lusofonia found global cultural significance based its most natural expression with on its historic role as a colonial Lisbon as its epicentre. Historically metropolis, its European connections the performance of various and its reputation as a haven for lusophone musical styles has taken lusophone culture.29 However, the place in Lisbon. Simultaneously, musical messaging at Expo ’98 music provides a useful platform with rarely transcended essentialist which to explore age-old Portuguese framings of Portuguese national cultural fascinations such as sea, identity. Despite the official rhetoric discovery and homeland. Unlike praising cultural and musical fusion, other mediums, music also provides

27 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical ‘Lusofonia’?,” 119 and 139-140. 25 Ibid., 356. 28 Details on Expo ’98 from Sieber, “Composing 26 Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone Lusophonia,” 163 and Vanspauwen, “The (R) Musics in the City of Lisbon,” 13 and Cunha, Evolution of Lusophone Musics in the City of Davis, and Straubhaar, “The construction of a Lisbon,” 21. transnational Lusophone media space,” 212 29 Sieber, “Composing Lusophonia,” 163-164 and -213. 169.

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 15 Portuguese music was consistently streak is finally assumed in the o r t u g a l presented as strictly White, while creative sphere.” The stated aim of music from the PALOP was reserved the film was to “awaken” Portugal’s only for the smaller stages and media and cultural institutions to migrant communities were priced the “commercial potential lying in o s t c l n i a P out from attending.30 Timothy Sieber the Lisbon music movement” that poignantly argues that the musical “radiates” unique traits, whether lusofonia on display at Expo ’98 was rhythmic, melodic or lyrical which fundamentally hierarchical, defining “epitomise, by way of sounds, five Portuguese music and Lisbon as centuries of joint history in the f r i c a n - D s p o P the universal agent, influencing territories which today share the music from elsewhere, but never Portuguese language.”34 Barre being influenced by them in return.31 and Vanspauwen persuasively Indeed, this would become a argue that RBMA insufficiently recurring theme of how musical demonstrates how the groups of

u s o f n i a d t h e A lusofonia was presented in the diverging sounds featured from aftermath of the exposition.32 Portugal, Brazil and the PALOP It was not until the influential necessarily belong together under M u s i c a l L | release of Red Bull Music Academy’s the banner of lusofonia. Indeed, they (RBMA) 2006 documentary accuse the documentary makers Lusofonia: a (R)Evolução, that musical of constructing a musical lusofonia lusofonia became a more clearly movement and revolution “from defined concept.33 The film starts scratch” in order to justify RBMA’s H a r y E d w s by insisting contemporary musical commercial goals.35 Nevertheless, movements in Lisbon such as kuduro they implicitly seem to agree with the and kizomba are just the newest film’s central aim, arguing that “official expression of a five-hundred-year- support is required in order for this old cultural relationship emerging musical fusion to gain the visibility from Portuguese colonialism. it warrants.”36 Underlying Barre and Against the dark backdrop of Vanspauwen’s claim are questions slavery, colonial wars and racism, around globalisation and visibility the documentary suggests that in a global cultural marketplace. “music and dancing were [positive] They quote EMI record-label boss elements of integration.” The press release for the documentary gleefully continues that in the Twenty-First 34 The Press Kit released to accompany the Century we are witnessing a new documentary Lusofonia: a (R)Evolução, as quoted in Barbara Alge, “Lusofonia, a (R) generation for whom “a lusophone Evolução: Discourses of Atlantic Roots and Routes in Luso World Music,” norient, March 6, 2015. https://norient.com/academic/alge2013/. 35 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical 30 Ibid., 170-171. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 119, 121, 128-129 and 131-132, and 31 Ibid., 168. Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone 32 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical Musics in the City of Lisbon,” 47. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 125-126. 36 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical 33 Ibid., 119. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 119.

16 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s David Ferreira from Lusofonia: a (R) (2017) to name but a few.40 Another Evolução, when he says lusofonia example is the Will Coldwell piece “might be a vital space for [marketing in the The Guardian’s travel section

music from Portugal], if we become in 2015, which explicitly focuses | M u s i c a l L bigger, we’ll survive as a culture.” on Lisbon’s “new clubbing scene.” Otherwise he claims, “we’ll disappear, Coldwell discovers in the piece that

we’ll be second-rate , nightlife in Lisbon has been directly u s o f n i a d t h e A or fourth or fifth-rate Americans inspired by batida artists. Employing or whatever.”37 Therefore, musical important figures from Lisbon’s lusofonia must be understood in musical landscape such as Branko, relation to changing economic and Pedro Gomes and Angolan-born social condition due to globalisation Pedro Coquenão (more commonly f r i c a n - D s p o P which makes it increasingly difficult known by his artist pseudonym for small countries like Portugal to be Batida) as guides, he describes a seen on a global stage, irrespective night-out enjoying the delights of of their historical influence.38 several of Lisbon’s most lively bars, clubs and major nightspots. “The

outdoor drinking culture,” Coldwell o s t c l n i a P LISBON – THE GLOBAL proclaims, “reinforces the idea that CULTURAL CAPITAL this is a city where people can mix freely.” This vibe is “something you o r t u g a l In the 2000s and 2010s, rarely experience in a capital, but Portuguese cultural institutions and fits neatly with the collaborative, Lisbon’s tourism industry increasingly outward-looking nature of Lisbon’s promoted the city as a unique city of music scene.”41 In the academic culture, musical fusion and nightlife.39 Indeed, efforts to increase awareness 40 Examples of Lisbon’s good publicity in foreign and improve the brand image of the publications: Fiona Dunlop, “7 Reasons Lisbon city have proven to be remarkably Could Be Coolest Capital in Europe,” cnn. com, August 25, 2017. https://edition.cnn.com/ successful. Numerous foreign travel/article/lisbon-coolest-city/index.html; publications have covered Lisbon Will Coldwell, “Nightlife Reports: Lisbon’s New Clubbing Scene,” theguardian.com, January as one of the coolest cities to visit in 23, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/ Europe. “12 Reasons to Love Lisbon” travel/2015/jan/23/lisbon-new-clubbing-scene- nightlife-reports; Ann Abel, “12 Reasons to Love in Forbes (2016), “23 Reasons Why Lisbon,” forbes.com, August 18, 2016. https:// Lisbon Should be Your Next City www.forbes.com/sites/annabel/2016/08/18/12- reasons-to-love-lisbon/#7fa589b63b68, Break” in The Telegraph (2018) and Nina Santos, “7 Reasons Why You Should “7 Reasons Lisbon Could Be the Visit Lisbon at Least Once in Your Lifetime,” theculturetrip.com, April 29, 2017. https:// Coolest Capital in Europe” on CNN theculturetrip.com/europe/portugal/articles/7- reasons-why-you-should-visit-lisbon-at-least- once-in-your-lifetime/, and Hugh Morris, “23 Reasons Why Lisbon Should Be Your Next City Break,” telegraph.co.uk, May 12, 2018. https:// 37 Ibid., 132. www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/ 38 Sieber, “Composing Lusophonia,” 183. europe/portugal/articles/lisbon-portugal-best- 39 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical city-break/. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 120. 41 Coldwell, “Nightlife Reports: Lisbon’s New

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 17 literature, Arenas forwards more dubious denotation of ‘world music’ o r t u g a l broadly that ‘African Lisbon’ from in the pre-internet record industry— the 2000s onwards has become under which most music from the an increasingly “important source PALOP was included—unfairly of cultural capital for the city… as benefited metropolitan centres such o s t c l n i a P Africans and their descendants as Lisbon where the music was have become woven into the distributed from. ‘World music’ as city’s social and economic fabric.” a categorisation ultimately flattens African restaurants, nightclubs and cultural and musical distinctions for diasporic urban culture in the form convenient consumption in Western f r i c a n - D s p o P of music “emerges as an integral media markets.46 The same is true part of [Lisbon’s] appeal.”42 Similarly, for musical lusofonia, whereby Barre and Vanspauwen argue that music from African-diaspora and by promoting Lisbon’s diversity PALOP musicians is assimilated as a “source of cultural richness,” under a categorisation that denotes

u s o f n i a d t h e A lusofonia and musical lusofonia its artistic lineage as coming from “eventually become an instrument for Portugal’s historical, linguistic and the promotion of Lisbon as an open, cultural legacy.47 However, the 43 M u s i c a l L | multicultural city.” internet has democratised music In Coldwell’s article in distribution to a point where it’s The Guardian, Coquenão also possible to circumvent the traditional explains that “Lisbon’s relationship record industry and their blunt with Africa is like London’s with classifications. In Rave On: Global H a r y E d w s Jamaica,” as it is from “those Adventures in Electronic Dance places [that music] gets translated Music, Matthew Collin postulates for a European audience.”44 His that the worldwide expansion of the comments are instructive as both a internet has extended the reach of direct suggestion that Lisbon should previously localised music scenes be considered alongside London into new networks of global cultural as a major agent in postcolonial consumption. Subsequently, new musical production, but also that borderless networks can coalesce lusophone music is part of a wider around any kind of sound one might process of musical consumption hope to create. Collin argues this happening on a global scale.45 is particularly true for electronic Before the mid-2000s, the highly dance music cultures that developed alongside the internet and knew instinctively how to take advantage Clubbing Scene.” 48 42 Arenas, “Migration and the Rise of African of the new possibilities available. Lisbon,” 359. 43 Jorge de la Barre, “Music, City, Ethnicity. Exploring Music Scenes in Lisbon.” Migrações 7 (2010); 145. 46 Sieber, “Composing Lusophonia,” 184. 44 Coldwell, “Nightlife Reports: Lisbon’s New 47 Almeida, “Portugal’s Colonial Complex,” 10. Clubbing Scene.” 48 Matthew Collin, Rave On: Global Adventures in 45 Barre, “Music, City, Ethnicity. Exploring Music Electronic Dance Music. Profile Books, 2018, 6 Scenes in Lisbon”, 140. and 10.

18 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s Via the internet, batida music can be directly with the artists responsible listened to and enjoyed around the to synthesise their production styles world. The internet has consequently into the band’s own unique sound.

allowed artists who come from Buraka Som Sistema’s volatile but | M u s i c a l L hitherto commercially ignored scenes exhilarating music subsequently or genres to locate themselves in the spread around the world, in no small

global music scene independently of part thanks to their eccentric live u s o f n i a d t h e A official recognition. Musical lusofonia shows.50 Mr. Angelo, a vocalist in is therefore not just a concept the band who moved to Lisbon from shaped by governmental, institutional Angola when he was 17, says Buraka or mainstream political agendas as Som Sistema’s global appeal came had predominantly been the case at from the bands ability to combine so f r i c a n - D s p o P Expo ’98 and with the RBMA, but it many different sounds. Mixing “the is also increasingly shaped by artists Rio de Janeiro scene via the Jamaica expressing their own experiences scene —all those movements through music. Increased visibility somehow made sense on a big has subsequently influenced official scale.”51 After 800 live performances and quasi-official branding of Lisbon. and three critically acclaimed o s t c l n i a P albums, it’s difficult to dismiss Buraka Som Sistema’s influence on both BATIDA, BURAKA SOM SISTEMA electronic dance music not only o r t u g a l AND PRÍNCIPE RECORDS in Lisbon, but globally. The New York Times even wrote that Buraka No band has been more Som Sistema “is postcolonialism important in spreading the influence you can dance to.”52 Thanks to African-diaspora music from Lisbon their success, the band became than Buraka Som Sistema.49 Formed synonymous with the lusophone in the multicultural Amadora district ‘revolution’ as presented Lusofonia: of Lisbon, the band is made up of a (R)Evolução. Indeed, they were talent with both White-Portuguese supported by RBMA throughout their and African-diaspora backgrounds. existence until the band’s hiatus in The collective reinterpreted the high-octane sound of Angolan kuduro in the mid-2000s with other 50 BURAKA, “OFF THE BEATEN TRACK - Official electronic dance music influences Documentary (Web Version).” YouTube Video, December 1, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/ from around the world. Proponents of watch?51=&v=u5vAINF-D5Q. sample-based production, the band 51 Rachel Donadio, “In a Lisbon Band, Echoes from Afar: Buraka Som Sistema Reveals prided itself on uncovering little- Lisbon’s Musical Melting Pot,” nytimes.com, known underground dance music November 3, 2014. https://www.nytimes. com/2014/11/04/arts/music/buraka-som-sistema- records via the internet and working reveals-lisbons-musical-melting-pot.html. 52 Ibid., and Marcus Dowling, “5 Buraka Som Sistema Moments That Changed the Game,” remezcla.com, August 18, 2015. http://remezcla. 49 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical com/lists/music/5-buraka-som-sistema- ‘Lusofonia’?,” 131. moments-that-changed-the-game/.

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 19 2016.53 However, it would be unfair forefront of the mix. Music journalist o r t u g a l to claim Buraka Som Sistema were Ian McQuaid said that if the kuduro interested in forwarding lusofonia popularised by Buraka Som Sistema per se. Although the band claimed was disco, then what DJ Nervoso they could only have come from and DJ Marfox created was the o s t c l n i a P Lisbon’s unique mixture of lusophone response.57 The harshness speaking diaspora communities, of the sound and racism against this Buraka Som Sistema in their preserved ‘ghetto music’ saw the own self-produced documentary burgeoning scene ostracised from visited Venezuela, South Africa clubs and bars in the city centre. f r i c a n - D s p o P and London alongside Lisbon and Consequently, the music was left to Angola, giving as much importance develop in the housing projects on to their influences from outside the the edge of the city. This geographic lusophone world as within it. 54 The isolation allowed the scene to members of Buraka Som Sistema develop its own distinct traits,

u s o f n i a d t h e A therefore exerted their own agency including the naming convention of and globalising mission that had DJs ending their pseudonym ‘fox’, horizons beyond the Portuguese- a quick mixing style and the use of M u s i c a l L | speaking world. They also provided cheaper production software such a pathway for future electronic dance as Fruity Loops.58 However, when a music producers in Lisbon to get their group of record shop workers and music heard outside of their localised club-promoters, who would later form scenes.55 Príncipe Records, discovered the H a r y E d w s In the late-2000s and new sound emerging on the city’s 2010s there was a proliferation of periphery they attempted to build a producers making batida beats in relationship with the scenes pioneers. African-diaspora neighbourhoods Aware it would be problematic for around Lisbon.56 However, it was a group of White club-promoters to the pioneering influence of DJ swoop in and try and monetise a Nervoso and DJ Marfox that proved sound created by Black musicians, instrumental in formulating the next the Príncipe Records’ crew attended breakout sound from Lisbon. This parties and familiarised themselves sound was harsher than what had with the scene for over two years come before, stripping out the lyrics before approaching DJ Nervoso and and bringing the percussion to the DJ Marfox to release their music.59

53 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical 57 Ian McQuaid, “Príncipe and the New Sound of ‘Lusofonia’?,” 131. Lisbon,” daily.bandcamp.com, November 17, 54 BURAKA, “OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.” 2016. https://daily.bandcamp.com/2016/11/17/ 55 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical principe-records-feature/. ‘Lusofonia’?,” 131-132. 58 Keeling, “The Ghetto Sound of Lisbon.” 56 Kate Hutchinson, “Nídia is Bringing the Sound 59 McQuaid, “Príncipe and the New Sound of of Lisbon’s Ghettos to the World,” nytimes. Lisbon” and Duncan Harrison, “Reflecting on com, June 14, 2018. https://www.nytimes. Principe, The Portuguese Record Label That Put com/2018/06/14/arts/music/nidia-batida-lisbon. Lisbon’s Ghetto Sound on the Map,” thump.vice. html. com, August 13, 2015. https://thump.vice.com/

20 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s While this dynamic still exists, the Portugal serve a function similar to success of Príncipe’s monthly parties the protest singers of the Carnation and the respectful relationship Revolution. While “society looks

between label and artists shows the down on me for being Black and | M u s i c a l L potential of music to bridge social, doing kuduro music in the suburbs,” economic and geographical divides.60 he contends “the new Lisbon will be

By bringing this music into Lisbon’s the periphery of the city, then they u s o f n i a d t h e A centre, McQuaid argues music will be forced to acknowledge and from Lisbon’s poor immigrant and represent us.”64 Gomes has also diaspora neighbourhoods was no picked up on a change whereby longer “being ghettoised,” but was people are now less scared to instead being released and played venture into Lisbon’s African-diaspora f r i c a n - D s p o P alongside other acts in Lisbon’s neighbourhoods. By seeing more electronic music scene. This move Black faces from the music scene “demanded the African artists and in clubs and in the press, people their Portuguese counterparts be are more willing to interact and less treated with parity,” and McQuaid fearful of being robbed.65 Music contends, “it paid off.”61 journalist Duncan Harrison goes o s t c l n i a P The scene and the further and argues that there has communities it originated from still been “a genuine socio-political face severe issues of racism despite significance to what Príncipe have o r t u g a l the success of artists such as DJ achieved.” They have “amplified Nervoso and DJ Marfox who now the voices of those from an isolated regularly tour around the world.62 area and immersed those voices As Lisbon rapper Biggie once told with the inner-city populace.”66 ethnomusicologist Derek Pardue, Like Buraka Som Sistema, Gomes “maybe Portugal is in the EU, but the argues Príncipe’s success comes PALOP aren’t. We’re just in Portugal from the label’s international appeal. [children of PALOP migrants who This music “can work in Africa… this are denied citizenship]... not quite can work in all of Latin and North Portuguese, not quite European... America, in Asia and, of course, in forever African and always Black.”63 Europe.” Gomes makes a similar Nevertheless, DJ Marfox argues that narrative argument to that assumed today’s rappers and producers in by musical lusofonia when he told Ryan Keeling that “this music has been brewing for centuries, en_uk/article/53agj3/reflecting-on-principe- through the slave trade, through the-portuguese-record-label-that-put-lisbons- ghetto-sound-on-the-map. immigration, and now through digital 60 Keeling, “The Ghetto Sound of Lisbon.” 61 McQuaid, “Príncipe and the New Sound of Lisbon.” 62 Andy Beta, “Lisbon’s Batida Revolution,” 64 Beta, “Lisbon’s Batida Revolution.” pitchfork.com, August 29, 2014. https:// 65 McQuaid, “Príncipe and the New Sound of pitchfork.com/features/electric-fling/9490- Lisbon” and Félix and Pinto, “Can music reduce lisbons-batida-revolution/. anti-dark-skin prejudice?,” 388. 63 Pardue, Cape Verde, Let’s Go, 156. 66 Harrison, “Reflecting on Principe.”

Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 21 technology.”67 However, unlike at had a big impact on the musical 70 o r t u g a l Expo ’98 and previous expressions landscape of the city. A group of of musical lusofonia, Príncipe gives mostly young men of Cape Verdean clear authorship to the African- descent since the 1990s have drawn diaspora musicians that created attention to the plight of people in o s t c l n i a P the sound, not malign Portuguese their communities, by using lyrics cultural and colonial legacy.68 Most spoken and rapped in creole.71 of the musicians themselves do not Pardue argues that the existence of identify themselves as lusophone creole hip hop, performed by PALOP musicians, nor does the term play and Cape Verdean diaspora MCs, f r i c a n - D s p o P a role in their creative process. The has changed postcolonial discourses only relevance most artists find in around multiculturalism in Portugal musical lusofonia is the potential as these musicians assert their voice to get their music into city centre in a language historically refused venues and disseminate their music official recognition.72 Whether it is hip 69 u s o f n i a d t h e A further with institutional support. hop or batida therefore, the power of Meanwhile, labels like Príncipe prove African-diaspora music has changed artists and promoters have their own Portuguese national identity as their M u s i c a l L | agency and can forward their own voices can no longer be ignored. objectives in an internet age. While the racial, social and economic inequalities of colonialism still permeate in postcolonial Portuguese society, music has created new

H a r y E d w s CONCLUSION egalitarian and multicultural urban African-diaspora musicians spaces in which these differences in Lisbon still have to act within the can be addressed. Laura Filipa structural confines of their position Vidal, director of the CPLP and in postcolonial Portugal, one often EU supported Festival Conexão characterised by poverty and Lusófona, contends that “Portuguese intolerance. However, it has not colonialism happened, whether for been the official attempts to promote good or bad, and we must recognize lusophone culture that has changed that a mixture has taken place.” We global perception of Lisbon, but therefore “have to work positively principally the work of the musicians themselves. It should be noted that 70 Pardue, Cape Verde, Let’s Go, 17, Derek Pardue, hip hop when adopted in Lisbon’s “ and the Politics of African-diaspora communities also Scene-Making in Lisbon, Portugal,” Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 22, no. 2 (2012): 42-46, Federica Lupati, “Voices from the Periphery? The Polyphony of Hip Hop and the Portuguese Community,” Cultural and Religious Studies 4, 67 Keeling, “The Ghetto Sound of Lisbon.” no. 12 (2016): 727 and Vanspauwen, “The (R) 68 Hutchinson, “Nídia is Bringing the Sound of Evolution of Lusophone Musics in the City of Lisbon’s Ghettos to the World.” Lisbon,” 42. 69 Alge, “Lusofonia, a (R)Evolução” and 71 Pardue, “Cape Verdean Creole and the Politics Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone of Scene-Making in Lisbon,” 42-43. Musics in the City of Lisbon,” 60-66 and 70-74. 72 Pardue, Cape Verde, Let’s Go, 156.

22 Global Histories: a student journal | VI - 2 - 2019 H a r y E d w s on this legacy towards the future.”73 Latent neo-imperial discourses still permeate in the mainstream, but

a study of Lisbon’s batida scene | M u s i c a l L illustrates artists are successfully challenging this and improving

community relations within Lisbon. u s o f n i a d t h e A As the interval performance at Eurovision 2018 demonstrated, music can fill a gap in representation of diaspora communities in Portugal, and by extension, possibly across f r i c a n - D s p o P other multicultural European countries dealing with their own legacies of colonialism.74 o s t c l n i a P o r t u g a l

73 Barre and Vanspauwen, “A Musical ‘Lusofonia’?,” 137. 74 Vanspauwen, “The (R)Evolution of Lusophone Musics in the City of Lisbon,” 2-3.

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