Mochakk Narrates New Beatport Docuseries, ‘Funk do Brasil’

Funk do Brasil with Mochakk sees Beatport explore the history of Brazilian funk. Watch the first episode right here.

Mochakk has teamed up with Beatport on a docuseries intended to open a window into the Brazilian funk genre, and its first episode just dropped.

Funk do Brasil with Mochakk looks to offer a deep dive on the style immensely popular in the nation of its namesake. Its first installment, “This is Funk,” sets the tone for the docuseries, with Mochakk (real name Pedro Maia) narrating a broad overview of the Brazilian funk’s history in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and briefly highlighting one of its early key figures, DJ Marlboro.

As mentioned in the episode, Brazilian funk coalesced sometime after hip-hop and Miami bass permeated into Black Rio’s cultural zeitgeist by way of the US. Over the years, it has been stratified into subgenres like tamborzão, proibidão, ostentação funk, and conscious funk — and as with any musical movement worth its salt, it has long courted controversy with the local establishment.

Throughout the series, Brazilian funk personalities like Mu540, Bonekinha Iraquiana, MC GW, DENNIS, MC Marsha, MC Duzinho do Cabaré, DJ Ramon Sucesso, VHOOR, Mac Júlia, and Gordão do PC will also help Maia tell the story.

The launch of Funk do Brasil with Mochakk follows Beatport’s decision to introduce an official genre category for Brazilian funk in April. Previously, tracks with these characteristics had been relegated to subgenres on the electronic music-focused download store.

While Maia may have gotten his start in Brazilian funk, his star has soared to virtually insurmountable heights as he’s leaned into the tech house genre. Two weeks ago, he was slated to bring an all-Brazilian lineup to Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles — but the organizers were forced to postpone the event due to incoming weather.

Watch the first episode of Funk do Brasil with Mochakk on YouTube: