For someone whose passion is to “always find new things,” Diplo was immediately captivated by baile funk. Consequently, he concentrated whatever money and time he had to explore the genre. He hopes Favela On Blast becomes a resource and gives voice to inhabitants of the shantytown communities. “I was at a really lucky point where I could find something that was developing and I had to do the work to learn about it,” he says.
     Traveling the world has enriched Diplo’s perspective on becoming one with his peers in whatever country he finds himself and creating Favela on Blast spurred him to quit his day job and go to Rio. “Always on the verge of collapse,” Diplo cites his “shoestring” budget and red tape as impediments to the project’s development — but making his first film was also a learning process. The reason he was drawn to film unearths the heart of what drives the 35-year-old. With a larger audience to reach, the film fits into Diplo’s endeavors for his Mad Decent label, as film, television, and the Internet offer a medium “bigger than music.” He adds that as a music producer, he is somewhat limited because he does not sing or write songs; however, his approach is as much about sharing as it is creating.
     Citing the 1983 landmark film Wild Style as a favorite, Diplo draws similarities between the early days of hip hop in New York and Rio’s favelas — both boast raw energy, innovation, and an unpredictable nature. “In America, when I go to a party, I know exactly what the DJ is going to play, what the light sequences will be, and what drinks are going to be popular — and I’m not worried about being shot or the police or about a tank running over my speakers.”