This year promises a bumper crop of hip-hop films – here's how to get up to speed with the genre
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I was never sold on The Kids Are Alright and I never got the joke about Spinal Tap – but I understand the power of a good hip-hop documentary. For hip-hop fans who weren't around to witness battle raps in the Bronx or block parties in downtown NY, hip-hop docs are a valuable commodity. This year will see two new additions to the genre: Can't Forget New Jersey looks at the migration of hip-hop out of NY and there's also For The Record: The Story of Latin Hip Hop. If the hip-hop forums are to be believed, there is also a film in the pipeline about Eazy-E's life. Those of you lucky enough to be within striking distance of New York can get down to the Sunshine Cinema on 29 April for an evening of rare hip-hop documentaries, presented by the Red Bull Music Academy, and featuring a panel including Afrika Bambaataa and Schoolly D. So how would a beginner school themselves in the world of the hip-hop documentary? Try these …
1) The one with the best lineup
The fact that Ice-T managed to secure interviewees of this quality – considering schedules, geography, and the unreliability of so many artists in hip-hop – is a pretty spectacular feat in itself, even before you get to the gems that most of them provide. He speaks to a fantasy lineup of 47 artists, including Big Daddy Kane, Kanye West, Nas, and a brunette Eminem, all of whom provide raps. Ice takes us through his experience of rap in NY, LA and Detroit, all in beautifully shot detail. The best bits are the anecdotes (KRS-One says he started battle rapping after he was called out on stage for his "wack jeans" while sitting in the audience). Though there are a few glaring omissions, namely female MCs – the only women are MC Lyte and Salt-N-Pepa – and Jay Z, this is a slick offering and most of the fun is in recognising artists and rating their raps.
2) The one that makes you itch
Scratch is the ultimate in turntable fetishism. The art of the scratch might be confined to hip-hop classics as vinyl fades, but this doc takes you back to the thrilling moment of hearing a completely new sound and needing to trace its origins. Beastie Boys' Mix Master Mike explaining his eureka moment is fascinating: "I was like, 'What is that zigga-zigga sound? Where is it coming from?' Then I saw Grand Mixer DXT moving the record back and forth and I was like: 'That's what I wanna do.'"
3) The (slightly cringeworthy) pioneer
One of the first hip-hop documentaries, this BBC documentary still offers an insight into a genre which no one could imagine would become the dominant force in popular culture. From the eerie, synth-heavy fragments of Afrika Bambaataa's Planet Rock (which sees him dressing up as an intergalactic alien, here to spread the word of hip-hop) to interview footage with Malcolm McLaren, this is hilarious viewing. Narrated in rhyme, the documentary unwittingly comments on hip-hop as a force to be reckoned with, even in its relatively formative stages. Take its description of graffiti culture, commenting on how "urban" street art was becoming a hot commodity with advertising and branding companies: "Graffiti began on the walls/ Now its sold in stores and malls."
4) The cool one
Big Fun in the Big Town (1986)
Just a few years after Beat This, the genre now had its superstars (and some corporate branding) in Run DMC, a heartthrob in LL Cool J, supersonic scratching, beatboxing, and a confidence that the movement was here to stay. With its mission statement, "We gotta rhyme all the time!", Big Fun is exactly how it sounds; a look at the vibrancy of the sound of the streets of NY and beyond. Plus, it features real club footage of that mythical time when MCs asking you to wave your hands in the air like you just don't care wasn't a cliche.
5) The one that will make you choke back a tear
Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2012)
The relationship between Phife Dawg and the eccentric Q-Tip is one of the most tumultuous hip-hop bromances ever captured on film. From brotherly love to unabashed hatred, it's this relationship that is the backbone of the documentary. Unless you're dead inside, Phife's struggle with being a "funky diabetic" will definitely make you cry.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/apr/25/five-best-hip-hop-documentaries
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