Learning Portuguese with rap and Brazilian music, Don Blanquito and Idahosa Ness

I interviewed (Don Blanquito) and Idahosa Ness about how they, as native English speakers, create rap, funk and hip hop music in Spanish and Portuguese. They also discuss how music helps people get into the flow of their new language.

Don Blanquito lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he gives concerts in Portuguese. He also raps in Spanish. I found out about him in the article, Californian With an M.B.A. Follows His Heart to Brazilian Funk.

Idahosa Ness speaks Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese and has created the Mimic Method for language learners to acquire the flow of their new language and get the right pronunciation by using music in their target language. Idahosa posted a guest article in Fluent in Three Months last December titled, The “flow” of fluency: How to freestyle rap in a foreign language about his method to teach people to learn the rhythm and flow of their new language before learning the structure. Given that I also promote learning the musicality of one’s new tongue first, Ness’ method resonated with me.

I was very happy to interview both of these men because the exemplify the power of music to get us deep into our new languages.