brazilian artist baco exu do blues’ gorgeous new film

“Bluesman” is a beautiful short film featuring music by the rapper/singer Baco Exu Do Blues (Bacchus of the Blues), one of Brazil‘s breakthrough hip-hop artists of the past few years. Directed by Douglas Bernardt (Stink Films) and starring the young actor Kelson Succi, “Bluesman” is the visual representation of Baco Exu’s newest EP — also called Bluesman — and three of its tracks (the title song, “Preto e Prata” and “Queima minha pele”) make up the film’s soundtrack. Both the music and the video carry what may seem like a radical agenda by Brazilian standards: break the stereotypes of Blackness imposed by society.

Created in partnership with the digital agency AKQA São Paulo and The Coala Festival, one of Brazil’s biggest independent music festivals, “Bluesman” follows the young protagonist (Kelson Succi) running through the streets of São Paulo without explanation. Why and where is he running? And what the viewers’ preconceived notions for why he is running, are the elements that create the film’s underlying tension.

Born in Salvador, 22 year-old Diogo Alvaro Ferreira Moncorvo (aka Baco Exu Do Blues) blew up in 2016, following the release of his track “Sulicídio” (with Diomedes Chinaski) which criticized Brazil’s rap scene for concentrating on Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and claiming representation for other Brazilian states. In September, Baco Exu and his 2017 smash “Te Amo Disgraça” received multiple nominations in the prestigious Multishow Award.

Baco Exu Do Blues has created a rather extraordinary manifesto for Bluesman which is worth including here:

I am the first rhythm to make black people rich
I am the first rhythm to set black people free
Ring on the finger, on each of the five
Wind on my face, I feel alive
From now on I consider everything blues
Samba is blues, Rock is blues, Jazz is blues
Funk is blues, Soul is blues
I am “Exu do Blues”
Everything that when black was considered devilish
And then became white and was accepted, I will call it blues
Jesus is blues

Watch his space.