Daniel Haaksman is the Berliner journalist turned DJ and founder of Man Recordings, whose Funk Mundial series (and new album) is bringing together club producers like Crookers, Feadz, Jesse Rose Sinden and Rio’s hottest baile funk MCs. If you like your hard European beats laced with dirty Portuguese sex talk, then bring on the Funk Mundial. Download Crookers “Atomic Baile Boy” and Jesse Rose feat. Deize Tigrona “Toca Pra Mim” or stream below.

Dazed Digital: When we last spoke you were on your way to Rio…
Daniel Haaksman: I went to Rio right after the Carnival; the city was pretty relaxed, so it was a perfect time. One of the highlights was to perform with Deize Tigrona in a club in Copacabana and seeing how the crowd went nuts. Deize only sings in Portuguese, so in Europe only very few understand what Deize is actually singing about (it’s a lot about sex, in a powerful, feminist way).
 
DD: Where did the original idea come from to pair up baile funk MCs and European producers?
Daniel Haaksman: When I started to DJ baile funk in Berlin clubs, I was lacking tracks that would combine both European club music and elements of baile funk, so I decided to start the Funk Mundial series. I asked producers like Crookers, Sinden, Feadz or Jesse Rose to create their own interpretations. I knew they were playing baile funk in their sets, were inspired by the music, or had a musical relationship with the roots of baile funk, i.e. Miami Bass or electro funk. All in all, it really worked out. From the more than twenty commissions I gave in the series, I only had to refuse one.

DD: Who is on your future Funk Mundial wish list?
Daniel Haaksman: I’m happy to say that I worked with almost all of my current favourite producers in this series. There’s of course some people I’d love to release a Funk Mundial volume of… Timbaland, The Neptunes, Swizz Beats, DJ Premier...

DD: Feadz and an eight year old MC… that’s an interesting combination?
Daniel Haaksman: MC Gringo, who is one of my artists living in Rio, recorded MC Pretinho in a studio. As Pretinho couldn’t leave his son at home while recording, he brought his 8-year-old Wesley along. Kids in Rio are especially fond of baile funk, as it is the music all teenagers and young adults listen to 24/7, many kids can rap and sing funk tunes, although often they don’t understand what it’s all about. Wesley asked whether he could bang out one of his songs - and thus “Subiu, Desceu” was recorded.

DD: What’s your Top 3 from the Funk Mundial series?
Daniel Haaksman: Crookers feat. MC Leka “Para De Graçinha”
The Count and Sinden feat. MC Thiaguinho “Tamborzuda”
Oliver $ feat. Deize Tigrona “Tá Com Medo De Mim?”

Rio Baile Funk: Funk Mundial is out now on Man Recordings