# Coco (music)

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Music genre from Brazil

**Coco** is an African-influenced musical rhythm that originated in northern Brazil. *Coco* may also refer to the style of dance performed to the music, a kind of stomping. Coco is also alternatively known as *embolada* (another slang word, meaning 'entangling', referring to the fast, slurred, machine-gun style of singing). Coco is often performed with a repetitive musical beat and call and response singing, reminiscent of [Capoeira](/source/Capoeira) music.[1] The music is commonly performed at traditional parties in the Northeast, such as weekend street parties and [Carnival](/source/Carnival).

The characteristic sound of coco arises from four instruments commonly used in its performance: the [ganzá](/source/Ganz%C3%A1), [surdo](/source/Surdo), [pandeiro](/source/Pandeiro), and [triangle](/source/Triangle_(musical_instrument)). Performers also often wear wooden clogs, the stomping of which adds a fifth percussive element.

The name *Coco* (Portuguese for '[coconut](/source/Coconut)') is a common Northeastern Brazilian slang for [head](/source/Head), referring to the fact that song lyrics are often improvised.

## Origins

The origins of coco are as obscure as most Brazilian folk music, but some theories do exist. One theory is that the predecessor to the music was originally brought to Brazil by slaves from [Angola](/source/Angola), who then created coco by merging their music with local [indigenous](/source/Indigenous_peoples) rhythms.[2] Another theory is that coco was created by Brazilian slaves who broke coconuts with rocks for their masters.[2]

## Examples on the web

- [Coco being performed at "Terça Negra" (Black Tuesday) in São Pedro square](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9z3GFLdyP0) in [Recife](/source/Recife)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Coco (dança)"](http://basilio.fundaj.gov.br/pesquisaescolar../index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=556&Itemid=182). *basilio.fundaj.gov.br*. Retrieved 2022-11-11.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pedechinelo.com.br_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pedechinelo.com.br_2-1) ["Grupo de cultura popular pé-de-chinelo - Jongo, Coco, Samba-de-roda - Coco"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180921204905/http://pedechinelo.com.br/coco.php). Archived from [the original](http://www.pedechinelo.com.br/coco.php) on 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2007-11-02.

- [http://www.pedechinelo.com.br/coco.php](http://www.pedechinelo.com.br/coco.php) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180921204905/http://pedechinelo.com.br/coco.php) 2018-09-21 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Coco (music)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_(music)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_(music)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.