Black Alien
- Origin
- São Gonçalo, RJ
- Years active
- 1991
- Genres
- rap, hip hop, reggae, ragga
- Instruments
- voice
Biography
Gustavo de Almeida Ribeiro, artistically known as Black Alien, is one of the most influential and technically respected figures in Brazilian rap. Born in São Gonçalo and raised in Niterói, his musical trajectory began in the early 90s after being encouraged by musician Speedfreaks (Cláudio Márcio) to transform his passion for skateboarding and cinema into rhymes. With unique diction and a vast vocabulary, he quickly stood out in the Rio de Janeiro underground scene for his ability to organically mix Portuguese and English.
His national rise was explosive when he joined the group Planet Hemp, sharing stages and microphones with Marcelo D2 and BNegão on albums that marked the history of national rock and hip hop. In addition to his work with the group, Black Alien explored sounds close to reggae and dub, even founding the Reggae B project in partnership with Bi Ribeiro, the bassist for Os Paralamas do Sucesso. His versatility allowed for collaborations with artists of diverse genres, from the punk of Dead Fish to the pop of Fernanda Abreu.
In 2004, he released his first solo work, "Babylon by Gus – Vol. 1: O Ano do Macaco," an album considered a turning point in national rap due to its refined production and dense lyrics. After facing personal challenges and a long creative hiatus, the artist reaffirmed his legacy with the acclaimed album "Abaixo de Zero: Hello Hell" (2019), produced by Papatinho, which reconnected him with a new generation of listeners and consolidated his position as one of the greatest lyricists in contemporary Brazilian music.