Direct-to-Disc A generational voice in Brazil who emerged in the mid-‘90s as founder of hip-hop group Planet Hemp, Marcelo D2 has achieved the charmed status of both household name and musical innovator, collaborating with the likes of the late great Sergio Mendes and esteemed producer will.i.am. Since the release of his debut solo album Eu Tiro É Onda in 1998, he has developed an instantly recognisable sound that skips between classic Brazilian groove and contemporary rap, guided by the motto ‘looking for the perfect beat’ which graces his second album À Procura da Batida Perfeita. Now, in 2024, Marcelo D2 is telling his story again in a new light. Inspired by the iconic jazz-samba trios of the ‘60s and ‘70s, SambaDrive emerged from the improvised and often spontaneous jams that would preface Marcelo D2’s live shows. Touring the world and reunited with producer Mario Caldato Jr., the group dropped in on Amsterdam’s Artone Studio in October 2022 to record an album of 10 tracks, drawn from four of Marcelo D2’s most loved albums. A celebration of Marcelo D2’s legacy, an exposition of a master at work and as consummate a recording of live samba rap as you’re ever likely to hear, Marcelo D2 and SambaDrive looks back to light a way forward, each track shining like a blueprint of the genre-defying hits they would become.
