A Deadly Kind of Funk

June 25, 2001 -- When the samba rhythm gives way to a crude, angry beat, the bloodstained dance floor becomes "the corridor of death," with rival gangs on either side.

Long past midnight on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, young people come not only to dance but to engage in gang violence at gatherings called "funk balls."

A 20/20 Downtown hidden-camera investigation shows that funk balls are places where teens from rival towns can engage in organized gang warfare, egged on by the music. Since the fad caught on, it has led to the deaths of as many as 100 young people, some Brazilian officials say.

"That's what the music is made for — to make you want to fight," says Luis Eduardo Madeira, the leader of one of the biggest funk ball gangs.

Rival gangs stand on opposite sides of the room; between them lies the "corridor of death." Someone must cross over the corridor to deliver a blow, racing back to his own side after punching or kicking a member of the opposite gang. Before long, the funk ball turns into a kind of Roman gladiator arena, with fists as the weapons of choice.

Driven to Fight by Poverty

"There is violence, because that's the thing, we're not necessarily looking to dance," says Madeira. "We define ourselves in gangs and we go to balls to let go of all the problems we have at home in our daily lives."

Madeira and the majority of funk ballers come from favelas, or shanty towns, the slums that cling to the surrounding Rio hills. And it is the disparity between the rich and poor, he says, that drives them to the clubs.

"We are treated with disrespect. We are discriminated against when we want to go into the market to get the job."

But at funk balls, he says, kids like him are revered. "It's hand to hand," says Madeira. "There's my gang and their gang and only the strongest survive."

An Eye for an Eye

Not everyone survives the savage violence. Madeira witnessed the death of his 15-year-old friend Julio at a funk ball, but says his gang has since gotten revenge. But after Julio's death, Madeira also went to police to help them uncover more about the killings.

"I have this on my conscience that it's not just one or 10 people," he says. "It's more than that … the truth must be told."

Despite all the violence he has witnessed, Madeira continues to be drawn to the funk ball scene.

"The most pleasure comes from being at the top and other guys respecting you," he says. "That's the biggest reward."