AfroReggae, the first band of Grupo Cultural Afro Reggae (GCAR) to become professional, was formed in 1995 as a result of dance and percussion workshops in the favela (shanty-town) of Vigário Geral in Brazil. Their meteoric rise from the violent slums of Rio to the world stage culminated in 2006 with the premiere of their funky cover of The Beatle’s "Imagine" on Copacabana Beach, opening for none other than the Rolling Stones in front of 1.5 million people.