Samba is a broad term for various rhythms that compose well-known Brazilian music genres. Originating in Afro-Brazilian communities in Bahia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is considered one of Brazil's most significant cultural phenomena and national symbols. The term was present in the Portuguese language by the 19th century, originally designating a "popular dance" before expanding to include a "batuque-like circle dance," a specific dance style, and a music genre.
The musical genre of samba began establishing itself in the 1910s, with the song "Pelo Telefone" in 1917 serving as an inaugural landmark. While identified as samba by the public and the music industry, this pioneering style was rhythmically and instrumentally more closely connected to maxixe than to traditional samba forms. The genre has roots in West African musical traditions, specifically those linked to primitive rural samba from the colonial and imperial periods.