Most Brazilians who hear the nickname “Ice Blue” immediately recognize the name. But many non-Brazilians who see the name on the roster of BJJ Stars 10: Battlefield may wonder who this black belt is.

Paulo Eduardo Salvador A.K.A. Ice Blue is a famous rapper and a member of one of the most influential and prestigious hip-hop groups in Brazil, the Racionais MCs. 

Ice Blue, Mano Brown, Edi Rock, and KL Jay are Racionais MCs, founded in 1988. Each of them has roots in favelas around the South Zone in São Paulo.

The group has been active in social actions. Their lyrics about social justice highlight violence, poverty, and prejudice against black people.

A recent Netflix documentary called “Racionais MC’s: From the Streets Of São Paulo” details their story.

Ice Blue is also a second-degree black belt under André Ricardo “Garapa” da Silva and represents the Tetris Team. He will face Alexandre Godoy in a super fight at BJJ Stars 10: Battlefield on April 22 in São Paulo, Brazil. 

Ice Blue started training jiu-jitsu under Roberto Godoi many years ago and then moved to a Tetris affiliate in Capão Redondo to train under the guidance of "Garapa" where he is currently training. 

According to Ice Blue, his training helps him to deal with his emotions.

"Having grown up in a favela, I used to have many social questions, thoughts about revolution, uncontrollable riots, and unexplained loneliness,” he said, “I found on the mats a way to overflow, to find myself mentally, to go out of my comfort zone, and then jiu-jitsu educated myself. I become another person and I’m so thankful for the jiu-jitsu therapy.”

Despite living an artist's life, he has never stopped training. His training is not as intense as a professional athlete, but he's always on the mats. He accepted the invitation to this fight as a way to inspire people and introduce more people to jiu-jitsu.

“I want to inspire people, take off this prejudice inside of the favela about jiu-jitsu,” he said. 

“Jiu-jitsu is an educational tool, I am willing to fight to make a direct connection with people who don't know I train this art. I want to reach people from favelas around Brazil looking for gyms to train.”

Like Ice Blue, Fernando "Fepa" Lopes, founder of BJJ Stars, said he wants to reach people who had never had contact with jiu-jitsu before. It was this sentiment that inspired him to invite Ice Blue to compete.

“That way we can break out of the niche, allowing a new audience to attend a jiu-jitsu event, and another reason is to awaken brands to advertise inside the sport,” Fepa said.