Gilberto Gil is going to be the Brazilian Culture Minister

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Brazilian Goveroment) - Gilberto Gil, Brazil's popular Grammy-winning pop star, accepted an offer from President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to become the country's next culture minister.

Gil, 60, was one of the creators of Tropicalia, which opened traditional bossa nova to rock 'n' roll, reggae and Latin sounds. He has sold millions of CDs and records worldwide.
He campaigned for Silva and is the most prominent member of Brazil's Green Party, which gained five seats in the Lower House elections in October and is allied with Silva's Workers Party.

In a news conference Tuesday, Gil said he has not yet formed goals for his new job, which he will begin when Silva takes office on Jan. 1.
"My first task is to listen inside myself and listen outside," Gil said.

He met with Silva over the weekend to discuss the job, but later said he wasn't sure whether to accept because he couldn't maintain his lifestyle on the $26,000 maximum salary.
After meeting with members of the Green Party, Gil told reporters he has Silva's permission to continue making money from his music.
"I can work from Monday through Friday at the ministry and do shows on Saturday and Sunday," he said.
Gil won a world music Grammy Award in 1999 for his "Quanta Live" album.

He founded Onda Azul (Blue Wave) in 1990. The nongovernmental group promotes environmental education and the preservation of river and sea ecological systems in Brazil.