[A version of this interview originally ran as part of Movieline's coverage of Sundance 2012.] It says something about how far Ice-T has come since his gangsta rap days that his directorial debut, the hip-hop documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, premiered in January at Sundance to a house packed with hip-hop heads and white older moviegoers who likely know Ice better from Law & Order: SVU than “New Jack Hustler.” And it says something about the film itself, which explores the historical landscape of hip-hop in intimate detail with over 40 of Ice-T’s fellow rappers, that even the L&O-watching grandmas in the audience were bopping their heads the whole way through.
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It says something about how far Ice-T has come since his gangsta rap days that his directorial debut, the hip-hop documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, premiered at Sundance to a house packed with hip-hop heads and white older moviegoers who likely know Ice better from Law & Order: SVU than “New Jack Hustler.” And it says something about the film itself, which explores the historical landscape of hip-hop in intimate detail with over 40 of Ice-T’s fellow rappers, that even the L&O-watching grandmas in the audience were bopping their heads the whole way through.
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Because there's a chance fellow Hobbit Elijah Wood is going to cream him in the boxing ring tonight, let's take a moment to give props to Fantastic Fest guest Dominic Monaghan, who threw down some Vanilla Ice in yesterday's karaoke rap contest. With his A's cap pulled down low (Moneyball shout out!), Monaghan showed the room that this was clearly not his first time spitting lyrics like, "If there was a problem/Yo I'll solve it/Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it." At least it wasn't "You All Everybody!"
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When Michael Rapaport's documentary lens captured the behind-the-scenes drama between members of iconic rap group A Tribe Called Quest, his subjects took to the media to voice their discontent. But by the time Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, and won the Audience Award at the L.A. Film Fest, Rapaport had earned all but one Tribe member's public support.
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Hip-hop heads, take note: Your new must-see film is coming this summer, courtesy of actor and now documentarian Michael Rapaport. With appearances from multi-generational hip-hop luminaries like Common, Ludacris, the Beastie Boys and more, Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest examines the rise and dissolution of the iconic rap group. Yes, you can kick the trailer after the jump.
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