Gabriel Contino, better known as Gabriel, o Pensador (Gabriel the Thinker) is one of the best known rappers on the Brazillian hip hop scene. Coming from a unique background among Brazilian rappers, Gabriel, the son of a well known journalist in Brazil, hit fame in 1993 with the song "Tô Feliz (Matei o Presidente)" ("I'm happy, I've killed the president") the debut single from his first and eponymous album. The same album also yielded other hits, including "Lôrabúrra" ("Stupid Blonde", shortened) and "Retrato de um Playboy" ("Portrait of a Playboy"), bringing hip hop mainstream attention in Brazil by catering to an emerging middle class. Although rapping about everyday life, Gabriel also found time to talk about social injustices with his fourth single, "O Resto do Mundo" ("The Rest of the World"), a more downbeat track about homeless life, with a purposefully depressive melody and flow. Rapping is one of the elements of hip hop and the distinguishing feature of hip hop music; it is a form of rhyming lyrics spoken rhythmically over musical instruments, with a musical backdrop of sampling, scratching and mixing by DJs. ... Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ...

His following albums were also commercially successful, with a careful blend of socially relevant tracks mixed with airwave-minded pop anthems. History-minded, Gabriel was highly influenced by other Brazilian music, including bossa nova, samba and MPB, as well as using hip hop's traditional methods of sampling jazz, funk and disco ("12345meia78", for example, sampled CHIC's "Good Times"). Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music created by João Gilberto and first introduced in Brazil by Gilbertos recording of Chega de Saudade, in 1958, a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, first released as a single, and shortly thereafter as the album by Gilberto, bearing the... Samba is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil. ... MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) is a specific musical genre of Brazilian popular music that employs sophisticated lyrics, melodies, and harmonies in which the commercial aspect is subordinate to the performers artistic standards. ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory, and is marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... Disco is a genre of music that originated in discothèques. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Besides his native Brazil, Gabriel, o Pensador is also well known in Portugal, and has worked with Portuguese musicians like Sérgio Godinho and General D. Sérgio Godinho is a Portuguese poet, composer, and singer. ...

Discography

• Gabriel, o Pensador (1993)
• Ainda é só o Começo (1995)
• Quebra-Cabeça (1997)
• Nádegas a Declarar (1999)
• Seja Você Mesmo, Mas Não Seja Sempre o Mesmo (2001)
• MTV Ao Vivo (2002)
• Cavaleiro Andante (2005)

Website

• Gabriel, o Pensador official site
• Fan site