Camorra

Although hip-hop trio Camorra takes their name from a branch of the Italian Mafia that operates in their native Brazil, their message is far more positive than the gangster connotations might imply. Rappers Vinícius Anderson, Ney, and Carlos Cleverson are chiefly concerned with the problems of urban Brazil, especially the poverty and drugs running rampant in their hometown of São Paulo. Formed circa late 1997, it took Camorra some time to land a record deal, and they made their first recorded appearances backing other artists, including Max de Castro and Wilson Simoninha. Finally, the hip-hop-oriented Brazilian label Trama offered them a deal, and Camorra began work on their debut album. During the writing process, they went through several guest DJs before settling on DJ Keffing as a permanent fourth member. The album, Virus, was released in mid-2001 and was later nominated for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the third Latin Grammy Awards.