| Valete | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Origin: | Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Occupation: | Rapper |
| Years Active: | 1997-Present |
| Associated Acts: | Sam the Kid, DJ Bomberjack, DJ Cruzfader, Canal 115, MC Vargas, Adamastor, Bonus |
| Website: | MySpace Page |
Keidje Torres Lima is a Portuguese language political hip hop artist, known professionally as Valete.[1] that has enjoyed critical success in his home country of Portugal.
Valete was born in Lisbon to São Toméan parents, where he was raised in the Benfica neighborhood. He traveled to Arroja, returned to Benfica, then moved to Amadora and finally settled in Damaia. From a young age he developed strong politic opinions, influenced by his Philosophy teacher at school. During his youth he maintained relations with the JCP (Portuguese Communist Youth) and the PCP (Portuguese Communist Party). However, in the same interview he admitted that despite being a party in which he identifies himself ideologically, he has issues its structure and social agendas. Thus, he prefers to embrace the Bloco de Esquerda (Left Block), because it's closer to his political references.[2] He began listening to rap music in 1991, later encountering such artists like Nas, Krs-one and Racionais MC's.[3]
His career 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 Economics at the Lisbon School of Economics & Management (ISEG).
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.[3] In the song "Anti-Herói", he defined himself as a "Trotskista belicista" (a bellicist Trotskist).
His second album Serviço Público was named as one of the best Portuguese hip hop albums of 2006 by the critics.[4] It was selected as the second best national album by the listeners of the Hip hop radio show Suburbano on Coimbra's university radio, RUC.[5]
A prominent hip hop critic, Rui Miguel Abreu, has called him the only political rapper in Portugal.[6]