Planet Hemp attained gold and platinum certifications for their albums while championing marijuana legalization and delivering high-voltage concerts that frequently erupted into disorder. They also shared bills with established hip-hop acts such as the Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill. In 1993 Marcelo D2 and Skunk set out to assemble a group even though neither could play instruments or sing, prompting a turn to rap. Rafael (guitar), Bacalhau (drums), and Formigão (bass) soon joined, shaping an eclectic blend of rap, rock, psychedelia, and hardcore whose lyrics centered on cannabis legalization. The name Planet Hemp came from a Canadian clothing line spotted in High Times magazine. After cutting only one demo, the band played throughout Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro), São Paulo (São Paulo), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais), Curitiba (Paraná), and at festivals including Juntatribo (Campinas, São Paulo) and Superdemo. Disenfranchised youths increasingly embraced them because the loud, aggressive shows routinely ended in riots. Skunk’s death in 1994 nearly ended the project, but Bê Negão stepped in on vocals and the group soon signed with Sony Music. Usuário arrived in 1995 and yielded hits with “Mantenha o Respeito,” “Legalize Já,” “Fazendo a Cabeça,” and the combative “Porcos Fardados,” which denounced police violence; the album earned gold status. Os Cães Ladram Mas a Caravana Não Pára (1997) followed and reached platinum. Authorities have seized the band’s records, jailed its members, canceled its concerts, and placed the group regularly in the national news.
