At 39 years of age, he has dedicated half of his life to percussion music. Grandson of Mãe Hilda Jitolú (Iyalorixá and founder of the terreiro Ilê Axé Jitolú, birthplace of Ilê Aiyê) and son of Antonio Carlos dos Santos ("Vovô do Ilê"). He began playing percussion as part of the group "Timbaleiros do Dique" and from there he became part of the Banda Erê project (a social project developed by Ilê Aiyê that serves children and teenagers with percussion, singing and dance lessons).

He has worked at the Secretariat for Social Development and Combating Poverty and at the Children and Teenagers Foundation (Fundac). Over the last two decades he has been a member of Samba Tororó and Sem Ranço. He also played in the Bahian group Filhos de Ninha.

His years of experience have led him to share the stage with great names in Brazilian popular music such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Lenine, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, among other renowned artists.