Valete

Infobox Musical artist

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Name = Valete
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born =
Died =
Origin = Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal
Genre = Hip-Hop
Occupation = Rapper
Years_active = 1997-Present
Label = Horizontal and Footmovin' Records
Associated_acts = Sam the Kid, DJ Bomberjack, DJ Cruzfader, Canal 115, Adamastor, Bonus
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/valete115 MySpace Page]

Valete is a Portuguese language political hip hop artist named Keidje Lima [http://jn.sapo.pt/2007/04/25/primeiro_plano/hiphop_e_nova_musica_intervencao_por.html Jornal de Notícias - Hip-Hop é nova música de intervenção em Portugal? ] ] that has enjoyed some critical success in his home country of Portugal.

Life & music career

Valete was born in Lisbon, Portugal. He lived in Benfica, traveled to Arroja, returned to Benfica, then moved to Amora and finally stayed in Damaia. From a young age he developed strong politic opinions, influenced by his Philosophy teacher at school. He joined the "Juventude Comunista Portuguesa" (Portuguese Communist Youth), but dropped out a short time afterward.He began listening to rap music in 1991, but it was until 1995 that he encountered deeper lyrics from artists like Nas, Krs-one and Racionais MC's. [http://hip-hop-inter.blogspot.com/2006/07/biografia-do-mc-valete.html M@giC-HiPhOp: Biografia do MC "Valete" ] ] His chosen artistic name, Valete, was inspired by a documentary of ilusionism, with the mystic idea that a Valete (Jack) card, used in magic tricks, didn't allow the ilusionism to develop correctly.
His music activity began in 1997 with Adamastor, when they created a group called Canal 115, and later getting signed by Horizontal Records. During that same year, and only sixteen years old, he started recording mix-tapes launched by DJs like Bomberjack and Cruzfader. He continued with Canal 115 for 2 more years constantly performing in his country, but then decided to dedicate himself to his studies, getting a degree in Communication.
In 2002 he returned with his album Educação Visual, launched independently and rejecting collaborations. Valete, who before this album was known for being a freestyle or battle MC, clearly showed his lyrical talent with elaborate rhymes, taking on anti-capitalist overtones. In the song Anti-Herói, he defines himself as a "Trotskista belicista" (ballistic Trostkist).
His second album Serviço Público was named as one of the best Portuguese hip hop albums of 2006 by the critics. [ [http://cotonete.clix.pt/ouvir/entrevistas/body.aspx?id=1459&type=4] "Considerado pela crítica como um dos melhores discos nacionais de Hip Hop de 2006" ("Considered by the critics as one of the best national records of Hip Hop from 2006"), Nuno Príncipe, February 7 2007, "Cotonete". Accessed June 23, 2007.] It was also chosen as the second best national album by the listeners of the Hip hop radio show "Suburbano" on Coimbra's university radio, RUC. [ [http://www.ruc.pt/noticia.php?id=2858] Radio Universidade de Coimbra, January 1 2007. Accessed June 23, 2007.] A prominent hip hop critic, Rui Miguel Abreu, has called him the only political rapper in Portugal. [ [http://jn.sapo.pt/2007/04/25/primeiro_plano/hiphop_e_nova_musica_intervencao_por.html] Cláudia Luís, "Hip-Hop é nova música de intervenção em Portugal?", "Jornal de Notícias", April 25 2007 - "E rapper político em Portugal só há um - o Valete." ("And there's only one political rapper in Portugal - Valete.") Accessed June 23, 2007.]
Currently, he occupies his time both on his professional career and in the commercial department of a company for hydraulic resources that opened in 2007 in São Tomé e Príncipe.....

Discography

Albums

*Educação Visual {Visual Education} 2002 - 5,000 copies sold in Portugal
*Serviço Público {Public Service} 2006 - 5,000 copies sold in Portugal
*360° 2008/2009

Collaborations

*Canal 115 project ("Valete", Adamastor and Bónus)
*Sam the Kid "Pratica(mente)"
*Compilation "Nação Hip Hop" - 10 Anos de rap em português" {Hip Hop Nation - 10 years of rap in Portuguese} (May/2003) - song "Nossos Tempos"
*Compilation "Primeiro Kombate" {Combat First} (June/2003) - song "À Noite" (with Bónus)
*Compilation "Hip Hop Nation #1" (June/2003) - song "Ser Ou Não Ser" (with Bónus)
*Compilation "Hip Hop Nation #11" (June/2004) - song "Fim da Ditadura"
*Compilation "Poesia Urbana Vol.1" {Urban Poetry} (July/2004)
*Compilation "Nação Hip-Hop 2005" {Hip Hop Nation} (January/2005)
*Compilation "Hip Hop Nation #17" (February/2005) - collaborates in "Conexões"
*CD "Pratica(mente)" (December/2006) of Sam The Kid - collaborates in "Presta Atenção"
*Compilation "Adriano, Aqui e Agora - O Tributo" {Adriano, Here and Now - Tribute} (October/2007) - song "Menina dos Olhos Tristes"
*CD "Babalaze" (November/2007) of Azagaia - collaborates in song "Alternativos"

Mixtapes

*Mixtape "Reencontro do Vinil Vol. 1" (January/1998) of DJ Bomberjack - one song
*Mixtape "Reencontro do Vinil Vol. 2" (1998) of DJ Bomberjack - three songs
*Mixtape "Volta a Dar Cartas em 99" (1999) of DJ Bomberjack - collaborates in one song
*Mixtape "Freestyle Connexion" (November/2002) of DJ Bomberjack & DJ Lusitano - song "Duplo Sentido"
*Mixtape "Colisão Ibérica" em 00 de DJ Bomberjack - participa num tema
*Mixtape "Lisboa-Porto Connection" (1999) de DJ Cruzfader
*Mixtape "Tuga Mix" (1999) of DJ Cruzfader

References

External links

*MySpace|valete115|Valete
*Last.fm|Valete|Valete
* [http://www.valetesniper.hi5.com Valete] at hi5
* [http://www.h2tuga.net/mcdj/grupos_v/valete.php Valete discography (including mixtapes)] (Portuguese)
* [http://hip-hop-inter.blogspot.com/2006/07/biografia-do-mc-valete.html Magic Hip Hop]