Chico Science (Francisco de Assis França) was a Brazilian singer and composer. Chico was killed in a car crash in February 2, 1997 at the age of 30.

Born in the Rio Doce neighborhood in Olinda, when a little boy he used to sell crabs that he caught himself in the surrounding mangue . By this time he was already a huge fan of James Brown, Grandmaster Flash and Kurtis Blow.

Lead singer of a world music band called Chico Science & Nação Zumbi (CSNZ); his music was a fusion of rock, hip hop and rap with maracatu and other Brazilian rhythms. One of Chico´s greatest strengths (along with his vocals and his ability to mix rhythms) was his powerful stage presence, so powerful that some people even compared him to Jimi Hendrix.

Before CSNZ, Chico was also member of the bands Orla Orbe and Loustal (this one named after the French comic book artist and cartoonist Jacques de Loustal ).

Along with Fred 04, Chico Science created the MangueBit (usually wrongly spelled as MangueBeat) cultural movement circa 1991.