J. Rui wrote lyrics for several hits, like "Para O Samba Entrar No Céu," recorded by Almirante, "Porque Você Voltou," recorded by Francisco Alves and Mário Reis, among others.

Rui moved to Brazil with his family, arriving on October 1913, at 14. He began to write poetry while following with his formal studies. He joined a group of musicians and poets known as Turma da ENBA, which had Nássara and Luís Barbosa as members. Rui played the reco-reco, the chocalho, and was the "official" lyricist. The association yielded the first samba written by the duo Nássara/J. Rui, recorded by Almirante, "Para O Samba Entrar No Céu." Soon afterwards, they composed the famous marchinha "Formosa," recorded by Francisco Alves as a duet with Mário Reis for Odeon. The song was one of the biggest hits of the Carnival of 1933. In 1938, Francisco Alves recorded the valse "Porque Você Voltou," by the duo. Taking pieces of the melody, Nássara later wrote the marchinha "Periquitinho Verde" (lyrics by Sá Roris). J. Rui was the lyricist or collaborator in several songs without being credited, like "A-M-E-I, Amei," recorded by Francisco Alves. He also wrote the first verse of the samba "Santa," also recorded by Francisco. J. Rui worked in the cinema, in the theater (+O V da Vitória, among others), in the radio, and TV. In 1963, he wrote several compositions for TV: "Samba de Branco," "Cha-cha-cha de Cabo Frio," among others with João Roberto Kelly. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi