Today, one of the most popular types of samba comes from Bahia, a state in the eastern part of the country. called samba reggae From the 16th to 18th centuries, over three million Africans were brought to Brazil,to work as slaves. Today in Bahia, 80 percent of the population Samba from this region of Brazil is heavily influenced by African rhythms. Modern samba reggae is a mix of Rio samba, African drumbeats, and Jamaican reggae. It's a bit slower than Rio samba, and is usually performed in large groups sometimes with over 200 drums playing at one time!