Analysis
Understandably, outsiders who are not used to the culture of favelas see the acceptance of violence, particularly in children, a cause for moral panic. It is evident that the bailes funk foster an environment that encourages violence, sexuality, anti-authority lyrics, and gang themes, which is a major issue that Brazilian authorities face constantly. First, favelas are not easily accessible to authorities and people who see this behaviour as harm to society (Sneed, 2008). Thus, enforcing the ban of funk proibidão is very difficult. Second, the violent and gang-controlled favelas do not respect the police. If people living in the favelas have more powerful weapons than the police, how can the police regain control and take it away…show more content… Phillipov’s (2012) study of Norwegian black metal noted that conventional studies of the relationship between the metal genre and violence often share the view that “… a moral panic is designed to scapegoat metal and/or to serve conservative social and political interests” (p. 162). Phillipov challenges this concept by suggesting that violence and music be examined as an interdependent relationship rather than a cause and effect scenario. Phillipov argues, “… an understanding of black metal requires that transgression and violence be bought with, rather than dismissed as aberrant or unrepresentative of extreme metal practice” (p. 162). It is then feasible that this approach can be applied to bailes funk and funk carioca as a symbiotic social interaction. The music and parties in the favelas are defined by influential cultural factors, such as vulgar violent and sexual themes, which in turn become a significant driving force of culture within the favelas. It is unreasonable to conclude that the bailes funk are controlled by any one identifiable determinant, although gang control is…show more content… In an effort to combat crime, the police, the Brazilian Army and Marine Corps targeted two of the largest favelas where drug trafficking is most prevalent; Vila Cruizero and Complexo do Alemão. Over the span of one week, authorities confiscated large sums of money, drugs, and weapons, while locals incinerated over 180 vehicles in protest. By the end of the conflict, the authorities achieved operational power of Complexo do Alemão, which was reported by the media to be a significant victory in the war against crime in Rio de Janeiro. What was seldom discussed in the media however, was that over the course of the crisis at least 40 people, many innocent victims, were killed and most of the criminals escaped to surrounding favelas (Domit and Barrionuevo, 2010). The media evidently shares the agenda of the authorities by depicting them in a positive way, and not publishing information that would cause reason to view the authorities
