ARTISTDjonga

Djonga, born Gustavo Pereira Marques in 1994 in Belo Horizonte, grew up in the impoverished São Lucas neighborhood. As a young listener, he absorbed samba, funk and Brazilian rock, and discovered hip-hop in his late teens through a girlfriend. Music helped him learn self-acceptance, and he came to see it as a means of social change. His forceful, socially engaged rapping is paired with melodic backing inspired by the samba and funk he grew up hearing.

He released his debut album, Heresia, in 2017, followed by O Menino Que Queria Ser Deus in 2018 and Ladrão in 2019. Alongside his music career, he studied history at university, leaving shortly before graduation. After becoming a father for the second time, Djonga brought more melody into his fourth album, Histórias da Minha Área, released in 2020. A sentimental tribute to his childhood, it features more of the samba and funk that shaped his early listening, and he sings on some tracks. Each album was released on March 13 in a layered homage to his home soccer team, Atlético Mineiro.