Musician and composer Rogê, center, mixes samba with a host of other musical genres such as reggae and R&B, on his new album. John Atashian/ESPN Images

São Paulo—A few years ago, before he became ESPN's musical "ambassador" for the World Cup, Rogê hit a rough patch. Work was hit or miss for the Brazilian musician and money was tight.

Feeling blue one day, he dashed off a song called "O Guerreiro Segue," or "the warrior keeps going"—a phrase that could serve as his mantra.

"I never give up, my friend. I will die trying," said Rogê, who shifts easily between Portuguese and English, during a break from a recent recording session here with actor and musician Seu Jorge.

Persistence paid off for the 39-year-old Rio de Janeiro native. He just released his first CD in the U.S. and is appearing on ESPN in a dozen short documentaries about Brazilian culture. The network tapped Rogê—like many Brazilian soccer stars, he goes by one name—to be the on-air guide in the films, which are airing during soccer's quadrennial showcase.

This summer Rogê also released "Brenguele," his first CD in the U.S. The title is Rio musician-speak for "good vibrations." The album was produced by Brazilian musician Kassin and issued by Warner Music Group's independent distribution arm, ADA. It showcases Rogê's knack for melding samba with reggae, R&B, funk, tropicália and Brazilian popular music.

"Samba is the roots of every music in Brazil," Rogê said. "Samba is like jazz...[or] blues, in the United States." This month, he will perform in New York City as part of Brasil Summerfest.

Brazilian artist Rogê performs excerpts from two songs, "Na Veia"(On the Vein) and "O Samba Pode Esperar" (The Samba Can Wait), from his new album.

Claude Mitchell, ESPN's coordinating director of music, said Rogê came to the network's attention a couple of years ago while performing a regular Sunday night gig at the Carioca da Gema club in Rio. The network thought TV viewers would respond to the artist's stubbled good looks, energy and rapport with his bandmates.

That led ESPN to use Rogê's music last year for the Confederations Cup soccer tournament in Brazil and gave rise to the World Cup collaboration.

Around the world, music and sports are increasingly intertwined in the snippets of songs that blare through stadiums and arenas during matches.

Rogê has written about 300 songs, including some for Seu Jorge, who is known outside Brazil for his quirky renditions of David Bowie's music in Wes Anderson's 2004 comic drama "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou."

In a documentary that recently aired on ESPN, Rogê explained the origins of Antônio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova standard "The Girl From Ipanema."

The three-minute film shows Rogê at a Rio beach, singing and strumming an acoustic version of the song and explaining the tune's origins. The song enshrines a glamorous past, Rogê said, especially for Cariocas, or natives of Rio.

"Bossa nova is a picture from the 1960s," he said. "Nowadays we don't have this feeling anymore. That time was totally different—the girls, the fashion, the beach, everything."

But Rio still retains a musical vibrancy derived from its louche charms and resourceful spirit, Rogê says. He credits carioca composers such as Mr. Jobim and Arlindo Cruz with continuing to inspire his own career.

He also is working on a samba-flavored album about a contemporary version of the life of Rio's patron saint, Sebastian, set in the city's favelas, or slums.

"For me, samba is like a school," he said, "and everybody needs to drink of this water, this rhythm."