Intersectional analysis of cultural identities in the song Homem na Estrada by Racionais MC’s (1993)

Abstract

This article analyzes the fifteen strophes of Homem na Estrada, by Racionais MC’s, through official data from the Brazilian National Secretariat on Penal Policies, Bakhtinian discourse analysis, and the intersectionality framework proposed by Kimberlé Crenshaw. It also engages with concepts such as territory, as theorized by geographer Milton Santos the racial division of space by Gonzalez and Hasenbalg, and vulnerability, as elaborated by philosopher Judith Butler. The significance of art as a tool for social awareness permeates all discussions. This is, therefore, a multidisciplinary article, employing a qualitative and interpretive methodology, which seeks to understand the multiple layers of oppression, resistance, and precariousness faced by individuals living in urban peripheries – conditions that remain current even more than thirty years after the song's release. The article concludes by reflecting on the cultural and social relevance of rap for people living in peripheral contexts, highlighting its enduring cultural and social significance as evidenced by the substantial audience it continues to accumulate on streaming platforms.