Insurgent aesthetics: Creole rap from the outskirts of Lisbon

Abstract

The invisibility of the people of African descent in Portugal has been challenged in recent years by a diversity of agents. From the artistic-cultural field to political activism, the voice of those who contest a homogeneous model of Portugueseness based on whiteness and a narrative of exceptionality grows. Black rappers from the outskirts of Lisbon were one of the pioneers in denouncing these contradictions, narrating in their songs the intercultural daily life of their neighborhoods and the tensions of living in a society that sees them as outsiders. The possession of digital devices has opened up new opportunities for these peripheral artists, multiplying the possibilities for them to be heard and made visible. In close connection with the new technologies, they build an insurgent aesthetic that values marginalized areas of the city while at the same time making visible an Afro-Lisbon that is not recognized by the official institutions of State.