The only celeb guarded by a Brazilian drug cartel.mp4

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In 1995, Michael Jackson was already on another level—dominating the charts with 'You Are Not Alone' and dropping 'Scream' with a record-breaking budget. He was basically a living legend. But then, he chose a totally unexpected spot for his next MV: the favelas of Rio de Janeiro... one of the poorest and most dangerous areas in Brazil. The Brazilian government was dead set against it, fearing that showing the slums would ruin the country's image, but...

The 'They Don't Care About Us' MV only happened because the drug kingpin at the time, Márcio Amaro de Oliveira (Marcinho VP), cooperated. The local mafia under the cartel guaranteed safety that the government police couldn't. During the shoot, the mafia banned all violence and kept an iron watch to make sure no outsiders messed with the crew. Not a single piece of equipment or personal item was stolen. MJ didn't even pay any bribes or 'protection fees' to the drug lords; he just made donations for community development.

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After the shoot, a statue and mural were built in the square where he danced, and it’s still a major tourist attraction in Rio today. Once the world's eyes were on the favela, the Brazilian government actually started putting in effort to improve the safety and infrastructure of the area.

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"Yeah, it's the Big Bro MJ. 😎"