Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, better known as Gilberto Gil, is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including Rock music, Brazilian genres including samba, African music, and reggae...
ProfessionWorld Music Singer
Date of Birth26 June 1942
CitySalvador, Brazil
artist political musician
Like most artists and musicians, I considered myself detached from the political life...but I had an insight that maybe we would have a political contribution to make in the future.
real struggle kind
Sometimes, from outside, and from America especially, where the racial tension is so intense, you tend to understand Brazil as a kind of ideal situation, but it's not. There are a lot of problems. Historically, we have been in struggle, in real struggle to protect and defend the natural leaning towards absorbing the African and the Indian heritage that our society has.
moving making-a-difference important
The United States is very important, too important in the civilizational process of the world. It's difficult to move, to make a difference in establishments like the one the US represents.
rejection peaceful together
Obama wants to stand for a peaceful, generous, encompassing approach that would bring all Americans, but not just Americans, the whole of international society, together to advance civilization towards what we all understand is necessary to advance. Because of that he's being subjected to very serious rejections from the reactionary portion of the system, which, unfortunately, is the dominant portion.
expectations
Obama came to power with this element of raising many new hopes and expectations but he's been fought back by the system, becoming almost paralyzed in a way.
strong guy jazz
Beginning in the sixties, but getting strong during the seventies and eighties, everybody was sort of Miles Davis and Chick Corea and the jazz guys on the west coast and east coast in America, and then in Switzerland and lots of groups in England and elsewhere, like here in Brazil. We were all under a heavy influence of technological gadgets and changes that we used as elements to produce and create music.
avoid foreign presence products suffocated support
We support this very strongly. We need to do something to avoid being suffocated by the unscrupulous presence of foreign (cultural) products in our countries.