Afro-Brazilian music

Afro-Brazilian music consists of a mixture of musical and cultural influences from Sub-Saharan Africa, Portugal, and on a smaller scale, Amerindian music, creating a large variety of styles. Lyrics, instruments, and even melodies often have connections to African culture and even influence culture and music in other countries today. It is strongly influenced by African rhythms. The most well known sub-genres of Afro-Brazilian musical genres are samba, marabaixo, maracatu, ijexá, coco, jongo, carimbó, lambada, maxixe, and maculelê.

Like every other part of the American continent where there were African slaves, music made by Afro-descendants was initially neglected and marginalized, until they gained their reputation at the beginning of the 20th century and became extremely popular in contemporary culture. This breakthrough came in part from the unique instruments that are used in Afro-Brazilian music including afoxé, agogô, alfaia, atabaque, berimbau, and tambor.