With Netflix I like to do film-marathons where I watch a handful of movies on a general topic. The last week or two, I watched a few movies about early hip-hop culture.
The Freshest Kids is a 2001 documentary about the early days of b-boyin, rap and graffiti art. The story is told through interviews with hip-hop originators and super old film footage from dance battles, playgrounds and clubs.
Wild Style, the only fictional film here, follows real-life graffiti legend, Lee Quinones as Zoro as he tries to validate his art and win the girl. Don't watch this one for its film-making virtues but it is fun trying to name faces and place the sampled dialogues in the songs you've undoubtedly heard before.
I wrapped up the trilogy with
Style Wars a PBS documentary from 1982. Style Wars focuses on the graffiti art culture of the time.
Unlike the other two movies though, Style Wars does not glamorize the culture. Interviews with NYC Mayor Hoch, other transit officials and concerned citizens give a fair (if not humorous) view to the other side of the argument. Still the film makers remain sympathetic to the artists.
Negatives from the work of Henry Chalfant, Style Wars co-director
1970's NYC
Mr. Wave, obv!
Way before its time. Can't believe I'd never heard this.
New School. Wait for the kid in orange. You'll never be the same.
I hear that she's been giving that stuff out to all the graffiti boys. I never knew where the Beastie Boys sample came from, now I do.
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