Friday, September 24, 2010
Video: Downtown Calling Documentary
In a city that has had many great cultural eras, 1977-1985, the period that birthed hip hop might be one of the greatest! Peep game:
"In the late 1970s, New York City was teetering on the edge of total chaos. Yet out of the economic and social strife that held the “Big Apple” hostage, a family of homegrown cultures that would forever change the world began to emerge. Downtown Calling not only documents in detail the evolution of the fertile music and art subculture of this period, but how its collective output continues to play a prominent, driving role in the international fashion, art and music industries today. Downtown Calling features an impressive spread of rare photography and archival footage, past and present day interviews with a wide array of internationally renowned luminaries, and a continual, driving soundtrack of classic music of the era."
[via Otaku]
Labels: Documentary, Movies, Old School Hip Hop
Friday, August 20, 2010
Video: Trailer for GZA's Wu-Tang Clan Documentary
One of my friends had this on her Facebook the other day but I forget who now. And why have I not heard about this previously??!
Labels: Documentary, GZA, Movies, Wu-Tang Clan
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rare Documentary 80 Blocks From Tiffany's To Be Re-Released After 25 Years
I posted a youtube rip of this a couple years back so when I just saw this announcement a short while ago I went NUTS!!! DO NOT SLEEP on this this!!! Peep the science:
"Five Day Weekend and Traffic Entertainment are proud to announce the upcoming DVD release of 80 Blocks From Tiffany's, director Gary Weis' 1979 documentary about the South Bronx and its gang culture. The previously unavailable film will be released in the Fall of 2010, the first time it has been offered to the public in decades, and will be accompanied by a handful of exciting bonus features.
Director Gary Weis was still working as a short film creator for Saturday Night Live when he came up with the idea for 80 Blocks after reading a Jon Bradshaw article, "Savage Skulls." Published in a 1977 issue of Esquire Magazine, the piece centered on two gangs based in the South Bronx at the time -- the Savage Nomads and the Savage Skulls. Weis became infatuated with the story and, soon after striking up a dialogue with Bradshaw, he convinced SNL producer Lorne Michaels to help him produce the film. Just two years later, in 1979, Weis and Bradshaw brought a camera crew to speak with members of both gangs, along with police officers, community activists, and civilians.
Despite its role as an important and unflinching portrait of a profoundly interesting time in New York's cultural history, 80 Blocks was, for many years, impossible to find, only briefly available as an educational VHS release in 1985. In the years since its initial release, the documentary has gained an overwhelming cult status. With little to no news coverage over the decades since its release dedicated fans continued to buzz about the film. That buzz grew exponentially via the internet, which provided fans a common platform to fondly look back not only the at documentary itself, but the era that it captured so vividly.
The cries of many have been heard. For the first time in 25 years, the soon-to-be-released DVD will be accessible by the public, and will include interviews with producer/filmmaker Weis and director of photography Joan Churchill, as well as a 40 page book comprised of the original "Savage Skulls" article, an essay by David Hollander, and artwork by Julian Allen. All of this is, of course, to accompany both full and widescreen versions of the film that started it all."
[via Audible Treats]
Labels: Documentary, Movies, Old School Hip Hop
Video: Trailer for Joaquin Phoenix’s 'Hip Hop' Documentary Movie I’m Still Here
Has anyone figured out what the real deal with this f-ckery is yet?
[via Mashable]
Labels: Documentary, Humor, Movies, WTF
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Radio Documentary: Headland & Delowe: ATL Hip Hop from ‘79- ‘til
Interesting, peep the science:
"It’s here. The first official episode in my documentary series about ATL Hip Hop.
The city of Atlanta has a complex and long history with Hip Hop going back into the late 1970’s.
Much of this history pre-LaFace records, pre-Outkast and GooDie MoB isn’t known. Headland & Delowe is a documentary series attempting to weave together the story lines of the artists, managers, promoters and journalists from the ATL Hip Hop scene over the past three decades to get an understanding of where Atlanta Hip Hop has been and where it might be going.
In this episode I speak with pioneers like B-Boy Zapper of ATL’s HBO crew, MC Shy D and DJ Jelly, current stars like Cee-lo, Pill and DJ Mars and underground stalwarts like Senor Kaos and H20.
All the music featured in this episode is Hip Hop from the City of Atlanta."
Click HERE for more info and listen below:
Headland & Delowe: ATL Hip Hop from ‘79- ‘til [usershare mp3 download link]
[Dominick R. Brady via Steady Bloggin']
Labels: Documentary, Old School Hip Hop, Quit Hatin' the South
Sunday, August 01, 2010
In Toronto TODAY and TOMORROW: the CaribbeanTales Film Festival
Part of the Harbourfront Center's Island Soul program.
"CaribbeanTales is Canada's premier multimedia company that creates, markets and distributes films, videos, new media, resources and events that reflect the diversity and creativity of Caribbean-Canadian heritage culture. Caribbean Tales’ vision is to foster and encourage intercultural understanding and citizen participation through the medium of film, contributing to an inclusive Canadian society."
I'm gonna check some stuff out and you should too 'cos its FREE! Noteworthy is that Stepping Out, a short film on singer Saidah Baba Talibah is playing as part of the program at 4pm. WIN FREE TICKETS to her video premiere party & show courtesy of The Kitchen by clicking HERE.
For more details on the CaribbeanTales Film Festival, click HERE.
Labels: Documentary, Movies, Parties and Events, Saidah Baba Talibah, Soca/Calypso
Friday, June 18, 2010
Video: Henry Chalfant’s 'All City’ Documentary
Classic old school sh-t, nice! Note: this video embed is a 3-video playlist.
Labels: Documentary, Old School Hip Hop
Video: This Is The Life (Project Blowed Documentary)
For those not knowing, Project Blowed is a semi-legendary west coast underground hip hop club night and label. [Note: embed will only work for US-based veiwers]
Labels: Documentary, Old School Hip Hop
Monday, June 14, 2010
Video: Trailer for Nabil Elderkin's Ugandan Hip Hop Documentary Bouncing Cats
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Video: American Gangster – The Jamaican Shower Posse
Previously on The Kitchen:
Watch a BBC News video report about the State of Emergency Declared in Jamaica over Attempted Extradition of Drug Lord Christopher Dudus Coke to the US.
AP Video: Over 40 Dead in Fight to Prevent US Extradition of Jamaican Drug Lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.
And from a few weeks back: massive police sweep of the Jamaican Shower Posse and other Gangs in Toronto.
[video via TOFlo.com]
Labels: Documentary
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Trailer for Diplo's Favela On Blast Documentary
"For 20 years, a subculture has emerged under society's radar. Favela On Blast tells the stories of sex, love, poverty and pride for Rio's marginalized people. They have their own language, style and heros. It's a music that's fast, heavy and violent like the city itself. This film is a flash of a few lives of charismatic people that relate to the funk music and a retelling of the subculture itself.
Funk superstars like Deize, Tigrona, Mr Catra, Duda Do Borell all make an appearance. And traficantes, funkieros, mothers and fathers, workers and students in Rio all have a part to play in funk culture. Its kinda of like the bass that ate rio mixes with Edward Scissorhands."
I've knocked Diplo in the past at time but I might have to respect his effort on this, especially if it helps shine the light on some of these Baile Funk artists....
Click HERE for more.
Labels: Baile Funk, Diplo, Documentary
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Video Preview of Top Left – Coolout (Documentary on Northwest Hip Hop)
"For nearly 20 years, the Coolout Network has visually been the pulse through the body of Northwest Hip Hop, capturing the areas coolest moments through the eyes of director Georgio Brown. The time is now for that pulse to make its way through the body of the hip hop world and for the rest of the world to discover what we already know – The Top Left is Feel-thy!"
Directed by Georgio Brown and Scott Macklin.
Labels: Documentary
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Trailer for The Hip Hop Project Documentary Movie
PAY F-CKING ATTENTION, people!!!! Besides the coonery & rampant, soulless money-making, this is what hip hop should be doing:
"From executive producers Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, The Hip Hop Project is the dynamic and inspirational story of a group of New York City teenagers who transform their life stories into powerful works of art, using hip hop as a vehicle for self-development and personal discovery.
The film traces the evolution of this award-winning outreach program developed by Kazi, a formerly homeless teenager turned youth-mentor. After four years of collaboration, the group produced a powerful and thought-provoking album that provides a revealing look at their lives. In contrast to all the negative attention focused on hip hop and rap music, this is a story of hope, healing and the realization of dreams."
This movie is opening May 11 but there was an advanced screening in DC today at 2PM - unfortunately I only saw the email promoting it now (note to the solSource group: how you gonna only send it out the day before?? Marketing/PR #FAIL), but make sure to go check this when it comes out.
Related:
Kazi's not the only one using hip hop for good...
- Also in NY, rapper NY Oil's Blackbird Fly – Young Women’s Workshop
- In Toronto, Duane Gibson aka rapper, D.O.'s Stay Driven High School Tour EPK
- Also in Toronto, a look at the Lost Lyrics community arts program.
- In the UK, rapper Kano Promotes UK Government Education Diplomas.
Share links to any other programs you know of in the comments section. Don't f-ck this off - this site ain't just about giving the cheapskates free music to leech!
Labels: charity, Documentary, Education, Movies
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Restoration Project: Help Save Style Wars
Get the details HERE. Watch the video above if you don't know why I'm posting about this....
[via Grandgood]
Labels: Art, Documentary, Movies, Old School Hip Hop
Thursday, March 25, 2010
TOMORROW in Toronto: W.A.R. - Walter Anthony Rodney Stories Documentary Screening
This is a 2009 documentary by director, Clairmont Chung covering the life of world-renowned Guyanese historian, author, and activist, Walter Rodney. It's screening tomorrow:
Date: Friday March 26th, 6:30 pm
Place: William Doo Auditorium (University of Toronto), 45 Willcocks Street
(corner of Spadina and Willcocks, one block south of Harbord)
A discussion facilitated by Alissa Trotz (University of Toronto) with Clairmont Chung (director), Nigel Westmaas (Hamilton College, NY), Pablo Idahosa (York University) and Honor Ford-Smith (York University) will follow the screening.
This is FREE so if you're Guyanese or interested in Caribbean and African diaspora history, you really have no excuse not to check this out. Click HERE for more details.
Follow the Nia Centre on twitter at @NiaCentre
[via @MrKamoji]
Labels: Documentary, Movies, Politics
Monday, March 08, 2010
Watch Nick Broomfield's Biggie and Tupac Documentary in FULL
I was incredibly delinquent in not sharing a lot of the great links I had found around the internets commemorating the anniversaries of Big L and J Dilla's passings but I'm a(n adopted) Brooklyn head, so there's no way I'm passing up acknowledging the anniversary of BIG's passing tomorrow, especially when I was just sent this by Mike at Snag Films:
"In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick Broomfield's film, Biggie & Tupac introduces Russell Poole, an ex-cop with damning evidence that suggests the LAPD deliberately fumbled the case to conceal connections between the police, LA gangs and Death Row Records, the label run by feared rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight."
Click HERE for more details.
Semi-Related:
D-League feat. OhGinelle - "Juicy [Biggie Smalls Tribute '10]" <-- better than I was expecting to be honest!
Online:
Snag Films - twitter | website
Labels: 2pac, Documentary, Movies, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur
Friday, March 05, 2010
Video: Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (trailer)
I can't believe this is already out and not being hyped by EVERY blogger who fancies themseleves as cool, cultured or both. WTF are y'all sleeping on this for??!!?
"Trailer of the new documentary Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.
Directed by Tamra Davis, the documentary features never-before seen footage of the prolific artist painting, talking about his art, and existing in the two years prior to his death in 1988.
The OST features music from Mike D and Ad Rock.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child was released on Feb 21st."
Related:
The Kitchen on Basquiat previously: Basquiat Exhbit at the Brooklyn Museum.
Jean-Michel Basquiat : The Radiant Child is airing at SXSW.
Dude was not only an amazing painter but a proto-figure in the hip hop and the, not-even-named-yet, afro-punk scene.
[trailer via the.LIFE files]
Labels: Art, Beastie Boys, Documentary, Jean Michel Basquiat, Movies
Sunday, February 28, 2010
OkayplayerTV: Reflection Eternal
As outlined by Okayplayer:
"After a short break, we’re back with the latest edition of Okayplayer TV. Who better to bring back OKPTV than one of our most favorite groups, Reflection Eternal. Live from the set of RE’s upcoming video, “In This World,” OKP chops it up with Kweli and Hi-Tek about The RE:Union, why they took so long to come out with a new album, gettin’ props from Jay-Z (and turning it into a hook), and more. Look for the video “In This World” to drop next week. Reflection Eternal’s new album, Revolutions Per Minute will be out April 6th."
Reflection Eternal is almost back!
[via TSS]
Labels: Documentary, Hi-Tek, Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli
Stussy - J. Dilla Documentary Part 3 (of 3)
Watch Part 1 HERE (or on vimeo HERE).
Watch Part 2 HERE (or on vimeo HERE).
Labels: Documentary, J. Dilla
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Stussy - J Dilla Documentary (Part 2)
Second part of the 3-part doc on the legendary J. Dilla. Watch Part 1 HERE.
@DJ Houseshoes: How do you allow yourself to become the victim of 2 or 3 floods?? WTF??
I'm gonna try and do a post (or two!) with more Dilla-related links to celebrate the recent anniversary of his passing
Labels: Documentary, J. Dilla
