Black Alien

Black Alien, born Gustavo de Almeida Ribeiro on June 7, 1972, is one of the most respected voices in Brazilian rap. He first reached a mainstream audience when he replaced BNegão in the controversial group Planet Hemp between 1997 and 2001, performing alongside Marcelo D2 and helping keep the band's provocative, marijuana-legalization-themed hip-hop and ska-punk sound in the national spotlight. In 2001 he also delivered a now-legendary guest verse on Sabotage's classic «Um Bom Lugar», cementing his reputation as a lyricist of exceptional density and imagery.

His solo debut, «Babylon by Gus, Volume 1: O Ano do Macaco» (2004), set Brazilian rap ablaze with its heavy metaphors and flourishing wordplay, and is widely regarded as one of the genre's essential classics in the country. Black Alien's style is marked by intricate, almost stream-of-consciousness lyricism layered over eclectic, funk- and psychedelia-tinged production, distinguishing him from more straightforward Brazilian rap contemporaries.

Eleven years later, in 2015, he released «Babylon by Gus, Volume 2: No Princípio Era o Verbo», a more personal, upbeat record reflecting his life after a difficult period, produced by longtime collaborator Alexandre Basa and featuring guests such as Edi Rock, Kamau, Parteum, Céu and Luiz Melodia. Across both chapters of Babylon by Gus, Black Alien has remained a defining, singular figure in Brazilian hip-hop.