Chorão
He gave Brazilian rock its snarling, skate-punk soul, becoming the defiant voice of a generation through raw lyrics and relentless energy.
1970–2013 (age 43)·Brazilian singer-songwriter·Birthday: April 9·Generation X
Biography
Born Alexandre Magno Abrão in São Paulo, Chorão's early life was marked by hardship and street smarts, a background that would fuel his art. He found escape and identity in skateboarding and punk rock, co-founding Charlie Brown Jr. in the early 1990s. The band fused rock, rap, and reggae into a potent, uniquely Brazilian sound that mainstream radio had never heard. Chorão's lyrics, delivered with a raspy, confrontational style, spoke directly to disaffected youth, tackling alienation, social inequality, and personal struggle without pretense. His onstage persona was pure, untamed rebellion, but offstage he grappled with the pressures of fame and personal demons. His death in 2013 cemented his status as a complex, counter-cultural figure whose music continues to resonate with millions who see their own frustrations and hopes reflected in his words.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chorão was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chorão Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Chorão's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Died at 43
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- As frontman of Charlie Brown Jr., he led the band to sell over 5 million records in Brazil.
- He won multiple MTV Video Music Brasil awards, including Best Brazilian Rock Video and Best Show.
- The band's 2002 album 'Acústico MTV' became a cultural landmark, capturing their raw energy for a massive audience.
- He successfully transitioned into business, founding the skatewear brand Mad Boys and a film production company.
Did You Know?
The nickname 'Chorão' (meaning 'big crybaby' or 'weeper') was given to him as a child because he cried often.
He was a highly skilled street skateboarder before his music career took off and remained deeply connected to the sport.
He directed several music videos for Charlie Brown Jr. and other artists, showcasing his visual storytelling.
He published a book of poetry and reflections titled 'Pior Que Sou Eu' in 2013.
“Não adianta olhar pro céu com muita fé e pouca luta.”
