Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa...
Emicida
2015
Why This Album Matters
Released in 2015, Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa... is rapper Emicida's second studio album and represents a crucial milestone in his discography, consolidating the fusion of rap elements with rich Brazilian and African musicality. The album is not just a collection of songs, but a poetic and sonic journey that explores profound themes such as ancestry, black identity, motherhood, and social issues, all from a perspective that is simultaneously personal and universal. This work stands out for expanding the artist's musical horizons, as he had already been experimenting with sounds in previous projects. Emicida delves into Afro-Brazilian and Cape Verdean rhythms, incorporating piano, keyboard, percussion, acoustic guitar, and theremin, which gives the album remarkable instrumental richness and melodic freshness for the genre. The musical production, led by Emicida and Xuxa Levy, creates a sonic tapestry that is both accessible and challenging, maintaining the rapper's characteristic lyrical power while engaging with different audiences.
Context
Before Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa..., Emicida was already a prominent figure in the Brazilian hip hop scene, recognised for his rhyme battles and mixtapes that established him as one of the scene's biggest revelations in the 2000s. In 2009, he and his brother Evandro Fióti founded Laboratório Fantasma, an independent label that would become fundamental for the production and distribution of his work. His first studio album, O Glorioso Retorno de Quem Nunca Esteve Aqui (2013), already signalled musical openness and thematic depth. The conception of Sobre Crianças... was strongly influenced by Emicida's trip to Angola and Cape Verde, undertaken in March 2015. The aim was to retrace the path of the African diaspora, seeking a deep connection with his roots and gathering sonic and cultural experiences that would form the backbone of the album. This immersion transformed his life and served as inspiration to rethink African heritage and power relations in contemporary society, imbuing his art with a new layer of meaning.
Recording
The album's recording process involved meticulous production, with Emicida and Marcos Xuxa Levy serving as music producers and Emicida also as co-producer. The album's sound is enriched by a diverse range of instruments, including Rhodes piano, keyboard, organ, berimbau, theremin, synthesizers, kalimba, ukulele, flute, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, electric guitar, cavaquinho, percussion, and scratches by DJ Nyack. Various additional voices, including Dona Jacira (Emicida's mother), Anna Tréa, and the Batucadeiras do Terrero dos Órgãos from Cape Verde, contributed to the project's vocal and cultural richness. Recordings took place with the collaboration of engineers such as Maurício Cersósimo, Alejandra Luciani, Valdemar Vilela, Gabriel De Barros, and Caio Teaser. Mixing was carried out by Maurício Cersósimo and Alejandra Luciani, and mastering by Tony Dawsey. The track "Mufete", for example, was recorded at the Angolan studio Letras e Sons, highlighting the authenticity of Emicida's immersion in African culture. This international collaboration and the diversity of talent involved were essential for the realisation of the album's artistic vision, which seeks to deterritorialise music and deepen dialogue between different cultures.
Songs
The 14 tracks on Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa... form a cohesive narrative, moving between personal tribute and social protest. The opening with "Mãe", an emotional tribute to Dona Jacira, the artist's mother, who also features, establishes a tone of reverence and autobiography. This track can be seen as a continuation of "Crisântemo", from the previous album, which spoke about Emicida's father. The sweetness continues in the short "Amoras", inspired by his daughter Estela and focused on the representation and self-esteem of black children. The album also features notable collaborations, such as "Baiana" with Caetano Veloso, which incorporates MPB elements, and "Passarinhos" with Vanessa da Mata, a reggae that addresses hope and opportunities for life change. Tracks like "Casa" use children's choirs, such as those of the students from the Penta Grana school in Cape Verde, to create a contrast with heavier beats and address the black population's search for belonging. Meanwhile, "Boa Esperança" is a protest anthem, featuring J. Ghetto, which discusses veiled racism and religious intolerance in Brazil, reaffirming Emicida's commitment to social critique. Other highlights include "Mufete", which evokes the 'gingas' (sways) of Africa and calls for respect for black people, and "Mandume", which addresses disrespect towards women and resistance. The interlude "Sodade", featuring the voice of Neusa Semedo, leader of the Batucadeiras do Terrero dos Órgãos, laments 'saudade' in Cape Verdean Creole, using percussion that imitates the sound of water, while "Salve Black (Estilo Livre)" closes the album with a celebratory samba honouring black courage and unity.
Legacy
Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa... was widely acclaimed by critics, recognised as a complete work that balances social denunciation with the celebration of blackness and the African diaspora. Its originality and depth resulted in a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Urban Music Album in 2016, proof of the international recognition of the quality and relevance of Emicida's work. The album solidified Emicida's position as one of the most important contemporary Brazilian artists, capable of transitioning between hip hop and MPB, expanding his audience without abandoning his messages. The approach to themes such as racism, identity, and ancestry, combined with his innovative musicality, opened new paths for national rap and influenced discussions about representation and self-esteem, especially for black children, as illustrated by the later transformation of the song "Amoras" into a children's book. The album is considered one of the greatest works on black ancestry in Brazil and worldwide, impacting the understanding of national identity.
Rankings
Tracks
Credits
Emicida
Xuxa Levy
Emicida, Evandro Fióti, Renata Almeida
Tony Dawsey
Mauricio Cersosimo
Alejandra Luciani
Adriel Nunes
Black Madre Atelier
Emicida, Evandro Fióti
Videos
Musicalize Review "EMICIDA - SOBRE CRIANÇAS, QUADRIS, PESADELOS E LIÇÕES DE CASA"
Canal Musicalize
Emicida - Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa ALBUM REVIEW (PT-BR)
O Audiófilo
Resenha Emicida, Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa
NonaOrelha
Books
Analyses
Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa... – Wikipedia
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Sobre crianças, quadris, pesadelos e lições de casa: diáspora africana ...
revistas.udesc.br
O presente artigo examina o disco Sobre crianças, quadris, pesadelos e lições de casa, lançado por Emicida em 2015. As análises procuraram apontar as maneiras pelas quais a chamada nova condição do rap (Santos, 2022) se formaliza nos elementos constitutivos do álbum como um todo, bem como no interior de suas faixas.
Sobre crianças, quadris, pesadelos e lições de casa - TMDQA!
tenhomaisdiscosqueamigos.com
A música pode ser tida como uma continuação de "Crisântemo", do primeiro álbum, também autobiográfica, mas que conta a história do pai de Emicida, Miguel, que morreu ainda na infância do rapper.
Emicida - Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa…
monkeybuzz.com.br
Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa parece ser, na verdade, sobre as origens do rapper, em diferentes aspectos. A escolha de iniciar o disco com a sensível Mãe é grande parte disso.
Crítica | "Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa ...
planocritico.com
É com ótimas rimas cheias de referências pop, críticas sociais e exaltação a raça negra, batidas e arranjos de origem africana e de sonoridade bem pop que Emicida constrói mais um excelente álbum.
Discogs
Sobre Crianças, Quadris, Pesadelos e Lições de Casa... – Discogs
discogs.com