Samba is a prominent musical genre and cultural phenomenon originating in Brazil. It developed primarily within Afro-Brazilian communities in the states of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rooted in West African musical traditions, it is considered one of the most significant cultural symbols of the country.
The term originally designated a "popular dance" in the Portuguese language before expanding to include a "batuque-like circle dance," a specific dance style, and eventually a distinct music genre. While its formal establishment as a musical genre began in the 1910s—marked by the 1917 song "Pelo Telefone"—the term serves as a broad category for various rhythmic variants, including samba urbano carioca and samba de roda.