Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop--the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously. Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition.

20001h 11m6.9Movie

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Overview

From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop--the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously. Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition. Shot over a period of more than seven years, it is already an underground cult film in the hip-hop world. The film systematically debunks the false image put out by record companies that hip-hop culture is violent or money-obsessed. Instead, it lets real hip-hop artists, known and unknown, weave their story out of a passionate mix of language, politics, and spirituality.

Cast

Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Himself
Planet Asia
Planet Asia
Himself
Bahamadia
Bahamadia
Herself
Akim Funk Buddah
Akim Funk Buddah
Himself
Eluard Burt
Eluard Burt
Himself
Myo Campbell
Myo Campbell
Himself
John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Himself
Darkleaf
Darkleaf
Himself
Yasiin Bey
Yasiin Bey
Himself
Kirby Dominant
Kirby Dominant
Himself
DJ Kool Herc
DJ Kool Herc
Debi Mazar
Debi Mazar
Herself (archive footage)