Juventudes periféricas e suas expressões artísticas musicais: o rap/trap como espaço de resistência e contradição

Abstract

This monograph focuses on youth from the urban periphery, seeking to understand them through an analysis of lyrics from contemporary Brazilian rap and trap—musical styles widely consumed and produced by young people. Based on the understanding that these productions constitute significant ways of interpreting social reality and the multiple expressions of the "social question," the research investigates how the lyrics and performances of artists such as Racionais MC's, Filipe Ret, Ebony, and Ajuliacosta address themes related to race, class, gender, sexuality, territory, violence, consumption, and power relations. The study sought to understand how these productions represent the lived experiences of youth from the periphery and the contradictions present in the lyrics, highlighting both their processes of resistance and the value conflicts within their narratives. This is a qualitative study conducted through a literature review and a documentary analysis of song lyrics. The results show that the analyzed lyrics offer a critical portrayal—incorporating historical perspectives alongside synchronic and territorially specific elements—through an intersectional lens. That is, they address, in an interconnected manner, various dimensions of daily life linked to oppressions and violence based on gender, class, race, sexuality, and territory, as well as the relationship with the State, which either kills these young people or abandons them to their fate. Based on this analysis, the study aims to contribute to an understanding of rap and trap as important cultural manifestations for interpreting Brazilian social reality and the lived experiences of youth from the periphery. It is considered essential to deepen and professionally refine social research into artistic expressions from the periphery—in this case, music. Through these lyrics, we can understand and gain insight into the realities of the populations served by social workers across their various profissional settings.