São Paolo-based Tássia Reis raises her voice as one of Brazil’s strongest female rappers. A magnetic performer and a vocalist capable of everything from precise rap flows to sensual jazz pop moods, Tássia Reis is a strong representative of Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage in all its varieties. From silky jazz to trap beats, samba, funk carioca to playful pop, Tássia Reis follows only her own rules. The concert is a part of Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2023.

Years ago, due to one of those randomnesses in life, a young woman at the beginning of her career managed to find one of her great inspirations, who gave her the following advice: always be honest and truthful. And so it was. Black, full, powerful and with nothing to prove, Tássia Reis has been following the words she heard from Erykah Badu and her work is a reflection of that. Authentic and true are adjectives that describe well everything that comes out of the mind and mouth of the artist who started her career as a rapper at a time when the scene was still a predominantly male territory.

Without worrying about challenging the status quo or about allowing herself to be stigmatized, Tássia comes, always and in a growing movement, absorbing the world at her whim, rejecting conventional roles and aesthetic standards to follow her path as she well understands and, above all, without falling into clichés.

Trying out all the options available on the menu, Tássia makes her own musical buffet with what she has in mind, at hand, so she has no shortage of raw materials. Grown in an environment where samba was always present, including the vibe of many carnivals with their samba plots, the artist went along her journey exploring other possibilities, such as jazz. So, 10 years ago, she released the track ‘Meu RapJazz (2013)’, which definitely put her in the international spotlight. Once again impeccable, the narrative is clean and acidic as a good rap demands and the melody, of course, brings the sophistication of jazz. While the piano plays, softly, keeping the track’s elegant proposal, the voice, also soft and absolutely sensual, opens up: “I don’t have time to lose, I want to win for myself and fight for you if it’s up to me, I’ll deserve the respect that I learned that I must fight to have, that made me stronger. If I wasn’t sagacious, I’d be on another ride”. Simple as that, the message is given.

Committed out of spontaneity and not out of obligation, the artist has been actively taking a stand on racism, social inequality and fatphobia, but also on relationships, sex and love. Thus, it is not false to say that the artist brings to her work life as it is, in all its completeness of themes.

The same applies in the musical sphere. Bringing a great heritage of Afro-Brazilian culture, particularly samba and pagode, added to a strong influence of artists who represent, in different musical strands, black culture in all its magnitude, ranging from Erykah Badu already mentioned before to Beyoncé and Rihanna, passing through Brazilian national icons such as Djavan and Alcione, the artist, recognized as one of the most prominent rap voices in Brazil, was never satisfied with marked places, which allowed her to remain open to exploring other paths.

Following her exploratory journey, ‘Próspera’, her third album, released in 2019, which was acclaimed by specialized critics and considered one of the best albums of the year by APCA (Associação Paulista de Críticos de Arte), illustrates well the artist’s ability to flirt with other rhythms and expose, with a certain mockery, her existence or rather, of all of us. In ‘Dollar Euro’, for example, Tassia does not miss the opportunity to mock her own economic rise and, even more, expose racism. ”They cannot put up with the black ones / Who work hard and make money money / They only think that chicks like me are there to serve (Who?)”

Used to telling it like it is, Tássia does not follow any agenda, except her own. Dancing according to her music, with each work she is freer, without filter, as is the case of her new single, ‘Rude’. Launched at a time when the country was still under the effect of very heavy energy, being led by conservative and extremist politics, expressing was even more urgent and necessary.

This way, bringing a mix of Drill with funk carioca and samba, the new track is an explosive mix of entire truths and precise beat, where the artist detonates themes such as money, career, lifestyle, aesthetic standards and so on, causing ‘Rude’ to hang out without asking for permission, almost like a punch. The most interesting, however, is that listening once is asking for more. “Hahahahahahahaha/ Oh, and isn’t it hot?” she teases, ending the song and hitting it, once again, in full. Yes, listening to ‘Rude’ is more than hot, it is an experience that, in one way or another, creates a connection with the protagonist, making the listener want to know more about that ‘ride’, perhaps even to be part of it. This is one of Tássia’s talents, being able to engage the audience with her narrative that, rude or not, only delivers truths. How not to want more?

Thus, in a crescent, Tássia remains firm in her protagonism that can come packed with jazz, rap, drill, funk, pop, samba doesn’t matter because what makes this artist what she is, giant in her talent, is her ability to tell stories, to be heard above other voices, leaving her message, rude, soft, sensual, as you want, or rather, as she wants, because one thing is certain, Tássia Reis is the boss, she is in charge.