Planet Hemp

Planet Hemp is a Brazilian rap rock musical group, known for starting the career of rappers Marcelo D2 and BNegão for its lyrics supporting the legality of cannabis. The band was founded in Rio de Janeiro in 1993, with original members Marcelo D2, Skunk, Rafael, Formigão and Bacalhau. The band broke up in 2001 due to differences between the band members, and Marcelo D2 and BNegão are increasing focus on their solo projects. Since 2013 the band reunited and there are plans for new albums.

The name of the band was taken from the American magazine High Times, specialized in cannabicultura, that is on the cultivation of marijuana, and Hemp that, in the English language, means hemp. This strategy to put the name in the English language was not very successful, because a few years later the whole group was arrested by apology to the drugs.

Released in March of 1995, the disc Usuário counted on hits like “Legalize Já” that turned into hit, in spite of the music video to have suffered censors. But the group did not call attention only to the lyrics that speak of marijuana and legalization. The 17 tracks are not restricted to legalization only. The album has in its sonority a bombastic fusion between several genres, extracted of the guitar of Rafael Crespo, the bass of Formigão, of the battery of Bacalhau and of equally innovative participants, like the DJ Zé Gonzales or the vocalist Black Alien. The group was completely in touch with the new North American tendencies of rock, where they looked for influences of the black culture like means of renovation.

Genres: Brazilian Rock, Alternative Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Rapcore