Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us

Source: Mrinmay Kumer Biswas

1996 MJJ Productions Inc.

The video was shot by director Spike Lee in two locations in Brazil, a “favela” or “shanty town” in Rio de Janeiro called Dona Marta and in Salvador da Bahia.

Salvador authorities tried to ban all production over fears the video would damage their image, the area and prospects of staging the 2004 Olympics.

At the beginning of the video, a Brazilian woman proclaims “Michael, eles não ligam pra gente” which means “Michael, they don’t care about us.”

Performing with Jackson is Olodum (pronounced oh-lo-doon), a cultural group based in the Afro-Brazilian community of Salvador da Bahia. It was founded by percussionist, Neguinho do Samba.  Olodum runs an inner-city school for Salvador’s underprivileged children in which they teach a full array of academic and arts courses in order to build self-esteem and encourage economic ascension among Salvador’s younger generation.