Funk carioca, a genre of urban music originating from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, has had a long history of being misunderstood. Stigmatized by associations of violence and criminal activity, funk carioca has faced many obstacles in obtaining positive circulation beyond the margins, and for some more affluent members of society, this genre of music is also linked to a sense of cultural embarrassment. In more recent years, however, funk carioca artists performing at venues in the Zona Sul, the wealthiest section of Rio de Janeiro, have helped bolster an image of the genre of music and its culture that appeals to residents of the area. This thesis explores the impact of funk carioca artists as cultural mediators, members of the periphery who are adept at adapting to a variety of different social environments and codes, and the ways in which their performances are consumed by an audience comprised primarily of upper and middle class members of the society of Rio de Janeiro. Funk carioca, despite its criminalized past, is in high demand in the Zona Sul, and it is through the cultural mediation skills that funk carioca artists possess that a more relatable image of the genre of music and the favela are promoted, resulting in important improvements in center-periphery relations and significant steps toward more meaningful discourse regarding the social inclusion of the favelas.