[1] The album aimed to pay homage to the influence of the Tropicália genre and cultural movement that arose in Brazil in the late 1960s.

[2] The album consists of 34 recordings, including both original compositions and cover songs, that feature collaborations among 60 international and Brazilian artists.

It includes performances by Beck, David Byrne, Bebel Gilberto, John Legend, Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso, and others.

Producer John Carlin has stated that some of the artistic collaborations that appear on the album formed organically while others were 'constructed' or informed by Red Hot's previously established relationships.

[1] Red Hot + Rio 2 was immediately preceded in the benefit album series by Dark Was the Night (Beggars Banquet, 2009), which featured indie-rock artists such as The National, Feist, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, David Byrne and raised over $1 million for AIDS relief.