Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1990

Genres

samba, samba de raiz, partido-alto

Instruments

voice

Biography

Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz, stage name of Marcos Sampaio de Alcântara, was born in Rio de Janeiro on October 4, 1961. Having grown up in the neighborhoods of Madureira and Oswaldo Cruz, in Rio's North Zone, the singer and songwriter emerged musically during the transition between the decline of Cacique de Ramos and the rise of romantic pagode. Remaining faithful to traditional samba and distancing himself from the commercial trends of the time, he built a solid reputation among his peers, despite initial challenges in entering the mass recording industry.

Throughout his career, he became a central figure in preserving the traditions of Rio's samba. He is the creator of the cultural project Trem do Samba — an event created in the 1990s that honors the memory of Paulo da Portela — and of the traditional Feira das Yabás, which brings together typical cuisine and samba in Oswaldo Cruz. As a member of the Portela Samba School, he had the opportunity to closely interact with great pillars of the genre, such as Monarco, Argemiro da Portela, Manacéa, and Jair do Cavaquinho.

His discography includes landmark albums such as "Uma geografia popular", released in 2000, the self-penned CD "Uma África Chamada Rio de Janeiro" (2022), and the work "Agbo Ato" (2025), produced by Marlon Sette. In addition to his intense musical and literary production, he has solidified his name as one of the great defenders of traditional samba on the national scene.

Discography

• Uma Geografia Popular (2004)
• Uma África chamada Rio de Janeiro (2022)
• Agbo Ato (2025)