This opening episode charts the history of Samba music, from its origins in the slave trade, all the way to its progression into Bossa Nova. Along the way, controversial figures such as Getúlio Vargas and Carmen Miranda are discussed.
A look at the Brazil military coup of 1964, and how the 20 years that followed affected musicians, with some jailed or exiled, and political voices giving rise to a new form of music: "Tropicalia".
This concluding part looks at Brazil's attempts to find its identity in an era of post-military rule. With the divide between rich and poor increased, drugs and violence escalated in the favelas, and AfroReggae offered people a way out.