After years of kicking around São Paulo's open-mic hip-hop scene, Criolo first emerged as an international force with his 2011 album Nó Na Orelha. While traces of his backpack rap roots remain in both his rhyme style and his socially charged content, he's also revealed himself as a versatile singer/songwriter. His influences span genres and continents, touching on reggae, Afrobeat, and Brazil's native Tropicália.