Da Weasel is a Portuguese hip hop band formed in 1993. In 2010, the band confirmed its end, which proved to be a hiatus after resuming activity in July 2019.
The beginning
They were born in the middle of 1993, as a project 100% in English and in an experimentalist wave. At the time, the Da Weasel were Pacman (Carlão), Armando Teixeira, Jay Jay Neige (João Nobre; ex – Braindead ), João Fagulha and Yen Sung .
A year later, the group’s first recording adventure took place with the release of the EP More Than 30 Motherf***s . Immediately, the group’s first anthem appears, which became one of the most successful themes in concert: «God Bless Johnny».
Route
It wouldn’t take more than a year for Dínamo Discos , a subsidiary of BMG, to release their first album, Dou-lhe com a Alma (1995). In this work we witness the transition to Portuguese as the dominant language. At that time, Pedro Quaresma (guitar) and Guilherme Silva (drums) joined the initial formation.
There are changes in the formation again with the departure of Yen Sung and João Fagulha and Virgul enters . The group gives an acoustic concert at Antena 3 where the theme «Dúia» is premiered. The album Dou-lhe com a Alma is reissued with a bonus CD with the recording of that concert.
The year 1997 brings the 3rd Chapter . A record with a hard speech and where Pacman asserts himself — definitively — as one of the greatest and most ingenious lyricists in the Portuguese music scene. «Todagente» becomes one of the group’s anthems.
In 1998, this album was reissued with the addition of an extra CD with remixes of four songs: «Dúia» (remixed by Ricardo Camacho and Amândio Bastos ), «Pregos» (by Alex Fx ), «Casos de Polícia» ( by DJ C-Real) and «Para a noia» (by Armando Teixeira ). Also in 1998, they participated in the Tejo Beat project — a collection produced by Mário Caldato — with the theme «Habitual Product».
In early 1999 they collaborated on XX Anos XX Bandas , a tribute album to Xutos & Pontapés in which they participated with the theme «Esquadrão da Morte».
In September 1999, the album Iniciação A Uma Vida Banal – O Manual was published, highlighting the theme «Another Level». This album takes the group on the road on a memorable tour. One of the highlights of the tour was the first part of the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert held in November 1999 at Pavilhão Atlântico.
In August 2000, they received the first two silver awards of their career, attributed to the albums 3rd Chapter and Iniciação A Uma Vida Banal – O Manual .
During that year they participated in the tribute album Ar de Rock by Rui Veloso — 20 years later Ar de rock — with the theme «Miúda (outside me)».
Armando Teixeira leaves the band. At the beginning of 2001, they began composing work for the new album of originals. During the summer they participate in the Sudoeste and Paredes de Coura festivals. In December, the album Podes fuga mas não te can hide was released , produced by Mário Barreiros, which becomes the band’s first Gold record. “Tás na Boa” was the first single. Another highlight is the participation of the Orishas in the theme «Sigue, Sigue!».
In 2004 they started the year in the best way with the pre-production of the album that would come to be called Re-Definições. A sextet since the entry of DJ Glue to the family (when the tour of Podes fuga mas não ser podest hid began ), the group meets daily at the house of guitarist Quaresma with the collaboration of the co-producer and longtime friend João Martins and begins to «re-define» his sound once again.
On the first weekend of February, they pack their bags and leave for the Algarve . The destination is Olhão, home of the Zip-Mix studio (by Tó Viegas and Viviane dos Entre Aspas ), where guests João Gomes (Cool Hipnoise) and André Rocha later join . They remain in the Algarve until the end of that month, leaving the studio with the album practically all recorded. All that remains is to record the collaborations of Manel Cruz (ex – Ornatos Violeta, Pluto ) and the announcer/host Anabela Mota Ribeiro, as well as one or another detail. In the first weeks of March, all recordings are completed at Valentim de Carvalho Studios in Paço de Arcos and João Martins, together with Luís Caldeira, started mixing Re-Definitions. The album is mastered in London in early April.
«Re-treatmento» (the first single taken from the album) was the song that definitively launched them to the Portuguese market, allowing them to end the year in beauty with the award of the Best Portuguese Act award at the MTV Europe Music Awards , in Rome .
That same year they give concerts all over the country and participate in festivals such as Super Bock Super Rock . They take the opportunity to record a DVD with a live concert in Tondela and make a documentary about the tour.
With Re-Definitions they receive the quadruple platinum award for more than eighty thousand units sold. They also received two Golden Globes (Best Group and Best Song of the Year) among many other awards.
The choruses are sung by the public from north to south of the country, highlighting the sold out concerts of the Coliseus (Lisbon and Porto) and Olympia de Paris concerts.
In 2006 they participated in the Play Up compilation of that year’s World Cup with the theme «Play Up». Near the end of the tour for the album Re-Definições , the band joined the Portuguese symphony orchestra, conducted by conductor Rui Massena , in a unique show where the fusion between Hip-Hop and classical music took place at Torre de Belém, Lisbon. . In 2005, Da Weasel had already ventured to redefine their sounds in a meeting with the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira in Funchal, also conducted by the conductor from Porto, Rui Massena.
On April 2, 2007 , they released the album Amor, Escarnio e Maldizer . the disc has many guest appearances, such as Gato Fedorento, Bernardo Sassetti , Rapper and the American producer Atiba the Dappa and the special participation of the Prague symphony orchestra directed by Maestro Rui Massena. In this album, the songs «Dialects da Tenderness» and «Mundos Mudos» stand out.
On November 10, 2007, they gave a concert at the Pavilhão Atlântico , with guests such as conductor Rui Massena , with the Portuguese symphony orchestra and some members of other national orchestras, Bernardo Sassetti , Manuel Cruz , Gato Fedorento and Atiba The Dappa.
On November 29, 2008, the DVD with the concert held at Pavilhão Atlântico was released.
In October 2008, the lead singer of the band Carlos «Pac» Nobre edits the book Um Outro Amor, Diário de uma Vida Singular with the chronicles he has been writing for some time for the Domingo magazine of the Correio da Manhã newspaper .
In September 2009 they announced a one-year break, promising to return in September 2010 for the production of their eighth album of originals and for more live performances. On December 9, 2010 they announced the end of the group on their official page.
Meeting
On July 13, 2019, the return of Da Weasel was announced for an exclusive concert on July 11, 2020 at the NOS Alive festival . However, due to the COVID19 pandemic, the festival was cancelled. The band was confirmed for the 2021 edition of the festival, also canceled for the same reason and again confirmed for the 2022 edition.
