Black Pantera

Black Pantera is a Brazilian crossover thrash band founded in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, in early 2014. Formed by Charles Gama (guitar, vocals), Chaene da Gama (bass) and Rodrigo "Pancho" Augusto (drums),[1] all of them African-Brazilians, the band discusses topics such as politics, racism and discrimination in general in its lyrics, among other topics; its name is inspired by the Black Panthers.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Black Pantera
OriginUberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
GenresCrossover thrash, thrash metal, hardcore punk
Years active2014-present
LabelsDeckdisc
MembersCharles Gama
Chaene da Gama
Rodrigo "Pancho" Augusto

Influenced by Bad Brains, Rage Against the Machine, Tupac, Motörhead, James Brown, Metallica, Living Colour, Raimundos, Sepultura and Devotos, their sound has elements of thrash metal, hardcore punk and crossover thrash.[10][1][2][4][11][12]

They performed in festivals such as Afropunk and Download, besides having opened for or performed with Dead Fish, System of a Down, Slayer, Project46, O Rappa and Sepultura,[2][4][8][9][13] with shows in Colombia, France, Italy and the United States.[3][11]

History

The band was formed in April 2014 in Uberaba,[2] Minas Gerais, by brothers Charles Gama (guitar, vocals, lyrics) and Chaene da Gama (bass) along with their friend and drummer Rodrigo "Pancho" Augusto.[1] Initially, Chaene and Rodrigo had refused joining the band, but later changed their minds after hearing the first materials prepared by Charles.[11] The first, self-titled album, came out in 2015.[3][7][12][14][15] Work on the album began with the band's inception and lasted for 17 months, with the album being released in October.[4]

In 2016, they performed at the French edition of the Afropunk Festival[8] and had to promote a crowdfunding campaign in order to help them cover the traveling expenses.[4] In 2018, they released their second album, Agressão,[3][14][15] preceded by a video of "Prefácio".[9] In the beginning of the next year, they released the track "Punk Rock Nigga Roll",[2] along with its video,[16] and then they signed with Deckdisc,[7] after producer Rafael Ramos watched them perform live with Dead Fish.[17] Around that time, they were planning an album for 2020.[18]

During a tour in Europe, they believe they suffered racial discrimination in a gas station in Italy, in which they were searched by a group of police officers who did not do the same with any of the many other clients that were there at the time.[11][12] According to the musicians, the officers pointed a number of irregularities (which they denied) about the van they charted and they allegedly laughed as the band left the station on a tower.[11][10]

In June 2020, soon after the murder of George Floyd, they released the song "I Can't Breathe", its title alluding to the sentence repeated by Floyd as a police officer knelt on his neck.[10][3][5][6][7][12][15][19][20][21] The footage of the incident was watched by Charles on 27 May, which inspired him to write the song. Two days later, the band got together to record the song and its video. "I Can't Breathe" also criticizes other police brutality episodes, such as those which resulted in the deaths of Brazilian children João Pedro and Ágatha Felix.[7][21]

The video, directed by Leonardo Ramalho from Pajé Filmes (who had already directed the video for "Punk Rock Nigga Roll"[16]), shows Charles being strangled by a single white hand; the idea conveyed is that black people, despite being the majority of the World's population, are still on racists' mercy.[3][5][6][7][12][15][19][20][21]

Still in 2020, they released the EP Capítulo Negro (Black Chapter), with covers of "Identidade", by Jorge Aragão; "Todo Camburão Tem um Pouco de Navio Negreiro", by O Rappa; and "A Carne", by Farofa Carioca, made famous by Elza Soares.[22]

On 10 October 2020, they took part in the first on-line edition of the event "Sim à Igualdade Racial" (Yes to Racial Equality), organized by the Instituto Identidade Brasil.[23] In the following month, they would participate in the first Brazilian edition of Afropunk, but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and converted in an on-line event to be hosted by the end of October.[24]

On 1 February 2022, Black Pantera was announced as part of the line-up of the Sunset Stage of Rock in Rio 2022, alongside Devotos.[25][26][27] The invitation had been made in 2020, but the band was prevented from revealing it due to a non-disclosure agreement.[25] Following their invitation, they were invited by newspaper O Globo to interview Living Colour.[10]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Project Black Pantera (2015)
  • Agressão (2019)
  • Ascensão (2022)

EP

  • Capítulo Negro (2020)

Live albums

  • Black Pantera no Estúdio Showlivre (Ao Vivo) (2018)[28]

References
  1. Carvalho, Luiza (3 June 2017). "Domingo na Concha recebe Black Pantera em show especial antes de turnê pela França". Prefeitura de Uberaba (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  2. "Black Pantera contra o racismo". Revolution Radio (in Portuguese). 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  3. Gomes, Cecília. "Black Pantera lança música e clipe em protesto ao racismo". Kiss FM (in Portuguese). Rede Mundial de Comunicações. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. Rocha, Alex (22 May 2016). "Project Black Pantera faz campanha para levar som de Uberaba a Paris". G1 (in Portuguese). Grupo Globo. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. "Banda Black Pantera lança música sobre assassinato de George Floyd". GaúchaZH (in Portuguese). Grupo RBS. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. Moreira, Marcelo; Gaia, Maurício (3 June 2020). "Notas roqueiras: Black Pantera, Andre Matos..." Combate Rock (in Portuguese). Grupo Folha. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  7. Ferreira, Mauro (3 June 2020). "Banda Black Pantera lança música em protesto contra o assassinato de George Floyd". G1 (in Portuguese). Grupo Globo. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  8. "Black Pantera, power trio negro de Uberaba para o mundo: 'Todo dia tem uma história diferente de racismo, mas a banda não é só falar disso'". Reverb (in Portuguese). 17 November 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  9. Vaughan, Daniel (6 November 2017). "Black Pantera é rock de combate: "Lutamos contra a discriminação"". R7 (in Portuguese). Grupo Record. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  10. Andrade, Flavia (24 February 2022). "Black Pantera: Brazilian crossover thrash trio speak to Chaoszine about music, society and sharing the stage with Living Colour at Rock in Rio Festival". Chaoszine. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. Mar, Jéssica (17 July 2020). "Black Pantera: "Percebemos que temos que ser duas vezes mais fortes, mais rápidos e o show duas vezes melhor"". Headbangers News (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  12. Alves, Letícia. "I Can't Breathe: Black Pantera fala sobre vídeo em forma de protesto". A Tribuna Digital (in Portuguese). Sistema Tribuna. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  13. Mallet, Luiz (10 August 2019). "Dead Fish, Surra e Black Pantera incendeiam Circo Voador". Zimel (in Portuguese). Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  14. Moreira, Marcelo; Gaia, Maurício (6 July 2018). "Notas roqueiras: Black Pantera, Ophicina dos Sonhos, Premiere..." Combate Rock (in Portuguese). Grupo Folha. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  15. Cossich, Guilherme (4 June 2020). "Black Pantera é enforcado no clipe de "I Can't Breathe" – Assista". Nação da Música (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  16. Aiex, Tony (23 February 2019). "Black Pantera mostra sua força no clipe de "Punk Rock Nigga Roll"". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos! (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  17. "Black Pantera assina com a Deck! Novo álbum chega no ano que vem". 89 FM - A Rádio Rock (in Portuguese). Grupo Camargo de Comunicação. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  18. Viana, Bia. "Black Pantera prepara disco novo para 2020". A Tribuna Digital (in Portuguese). Sistema Tribuna. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  19. "Black Pantera lança música e clipe de "I Can't Breathe" em protesto ao racismo". The Music Journal Brasil (in Portuguese). MTV. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  20. Francisco, Vitor (3 June 2020). "Banda Black Pantera faz protesto antirracista no clipe de "I Can't Breathe"". PapelPop (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  21. "Trio mineiro Black Pantera lança música em protesto contra o assassinato de George Floyd; ouça 'I Can't Breathe'". Rolling Stone Brasil (in Portuguese). Grupo Perfil. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  22. Sanches, Pedro Alexandre (23 February 2022). ""Expõe pra queimar!", defende o Black Pantera". Farofafá. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  23. "Prêmio celebra as melhores iniciativas em prol da igualdade racial no Brasil". Casa Vogue (in Portuguese). Grupo Globo. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  24. "Primeira edição do Afropunk no Brasil é adiada e ganha edição on-line". Correio Braziliense (in Portuguese). Diários Associados. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  25. Barbosa, Daniel; Galvão, Paulo (8 March 2022). "Banda mineira Black Pantera levará sua mensagem antirracista ao Rock in Rio". Estado de Minas. Diários Associados. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  26. Redação Quem (1 February 2022). "Rock in Rio 2022: Festival anuncia atrações do Palco Sunset no Dia do Metal". Revista Quem. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  27. Aiex, Tony (22 February 2022). ""Fogo nos Racistas": Black Pantera bate de frente com o racismo em novo clipe; assista". Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos!. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  28. "Black Pantera no Estúdio Showlivre (Ao Vivo)". Amazon.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2020.
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