Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Borgarkeri A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

politic1983 'I'm like the kill the police rapper Ice-T' - Richard HerringAh, rap music; ignorant, ignorant rap music. How I love ye. If only someone could make a documentary about it. Well, someone has: the kill the police rapper Ice-T in fact. Of course, many documentaries have been made about hip hop, largely focusing on more commercial names, many telling a similar dull story and aren't particularly that well made.So, what does director Ice-T have for us? Well, 'The Art of Rap' is less a documentary and more a collection of interviews with some of the more famous and influential names to bless the mic, as well as all proving their place in the film by showing their skills minus any beats.Ice-T's interviewing is essentially to ask three questions: why doesn't hip hop get the same respect as jazz and rhythm n blues?; what is your contribution to hip hop?; and what advice would you give to any new rappers? This essentially comes back with the answers: hip hop has a lot more attitude; and hip hop is something different to everybody – things pretty much anyone could have told you.But this isn't a documentary designed to tell a story or come up with any great answers; it's a showcase for the purists of some of the best emcees busting rhymes. Unlike 'Scratch' which tells a story of the origins of DJing, little is mentioned about the development of rapping beyond the chronological order in which emcees are introduced, starting in the various boroughs of New York before moving across to LA. More focus is rightly given to East Coast emcees, particularly the likes of Grandmaster Caz getting as much screen time as bigger names such as Eminem and Kanye 'why am I here, really?' West.'The Art of Rap' is not designed to educate, simply entertain and show some top-notch freestyling while sat in a cinema, which is a good thing. Ice-T is the best person to act as host for all this, having the charisma of a Hollywood star with the added bonus of being the O.G. rapper. It's interesting to hear the individual motivations, though there is little to really shatter the Earth beyond the closing thoughtful message from Snoop 'always be Doggy to me' Dogg, of all people.

Steve Pulaski One of the many interesting things about Ice T's directorial debut, Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, is the explanation rapper Lord Jamar offers us as to how rap music came about. He tells us that growing up in the ghetto, there were obvious budget cuts and the public schools were woefully underfunded to begin with. He tells us that since instruments such as pianos and drums were taken away, the only instruments kids found were their own mouths and a record player. I'm positive those who idolize rap are not even aware of this.Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap explores just what its title proclaims; the art and craft of a genre so controversial and so openly slandered by critics, the media, and sometimes, its own audience. Rap is a lawless, anarchic breed of music, often objectifying women and promoting reckless behavior. Or has it let itself evolve that way? Has "swag," stupidity, and cockiness been traded for a subtle and unique panache? Nowadays, you'd be hard-pressed to find a rap song lacking the word "hoe" in any way, shape, or form. It seems the men Ice T (Tracy Marrow) interviews almost are ashamed at what the genre has become and faithfully spend their time recalling when the genre was more about being misunderstood and underestimated rather than boastfulness and amoral behavior.The key to success in the rap world is originality, we're told by Big Daddy Kane. If there's anything these men seem to have pioneered it's a unique sound and a unique outlook on life. Interviews with Afrika Bambaataa, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Grandmaster Caz, Ice Cube, MC Lyte, and Snoop Dogg take place as they offer their views on the movement and also don't hesitate to give us highly-skilled freestyles.Some of the interviews are informative and eye-opening - some have the unfortunate disadvantage of being concise and loose. The first hour of this documentary gives those who came for the insights exactly what they want. The second hour gives those who came for the music what they want. This is where Ice T's documentary begins to slightly fall from its throne. While there is a goal in mind, some of the interviews teeter on the edge of being rambling and rather irrelevant. There comes a point where the quality and the speed of the freestyles is favored over actual information inside the whole rap movement.But there is a wonderful devotion to the subject matter, regardless on what is chosen to be the primary focus in different scenes. Ice T doesn't seem to many as the one you'd want to direct a documentary on hip-hop and rap, but after the film was over, I couldn't really see anyone else doing it and doing it to the extent of what he has personally accomplished. He has proved to be not only knowledgeable on the medium but completely capable to delivering all the components of a film determined to explore the broad concept of rap.The documentary seems to run a little too long for this sort of subject matter. Perhaps if you're a die-hard fan of rap, you won't believe so. As an insightful look at the medium, it manages to wander into that sort of territory, but never does it gridlock itself to that area. It too manages to incorporate freestyles, jokes, old memories, and extensive interviews all in its runtime. On second thought, maybe it isn't too long at all.Starring: Ice T, Afrika Bambaataa, Big Daddy Kane, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Grandmaster Caz, Ice Cube, Lord Jamar, MC Lyte, and Snoop Dogg. Directed by: Ice T and Andy Baybutt.

rgblakey Few styles of music have caused as much uproar as Hip Hop. Over the years there have been controversies, fights, and even death all in the name rap music. While not all is directly responsible, the feuds and storytelling in this music has led it to garner some attention that it may not always have wanted. Rap icon Ice-T steps into the director's chair for Art of Rap, his love letter to an industry that has defined a culture as well as numerous generations.Art of Rap ignores the feuds and controversy and instead takes on the history and influence told through the new and old generation that have brought it to prominence. Featuring an all-star cast of some of the greatest to ever grab the mic including Run DMC, Treach, Snoop Dog, Eminem, B-Real, Dr. Dre, Doug E Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Melle Mel and countless others tells the story of hip hop through the eyes and voice of those that help create it. This film not only gives the music the respect it deserves, it also gives voice to the young and old members of this unique world to showcase their beginnings as well as influences in the industry. This isn't just a long documentary story of rap, but instead a series of interviews with Ice-T the pioneers of the industry that shows the intelligence and passion that these individuals truly have for this art.In a world of pop music and unoriginality, this film takes an inside look at hip hop while giving it the respect it deserves. You don't have to be a fan of the music to recognize the talent that built it. The innovators and creators struggled to create this industry and use their pain and talent to tell their stories like no other creating an industry that doesn't always get the respect it deserves, but rest assured will never go away. Whether you love rap or not, you should sit down and experience this film to let these icons in the music industry to have their voice.http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey

Emma Dinkins The Art of Rap is a documentary of the evolution of Hip Hop and the artists who were instrumental in creating an urban musical revolution. This film did exactly what a documentary should do, it provided a record of the pioneers of this art form through an up close and what felt like a personal conversation with these artists. Ice-T traverses the Big Apple as he talks candidly with East Coast artists like Rakim, Chuck D, Q-Tip and my personal favorite Doug E Fresh, who by the way is still phenomenal with the art form of Beat Box. Yes, I heard it here from the man himself that he is the originator of Beat Box, which he defines as an accompaniment to the Master of Ceremony. This film was educational in that I learned if you are not an MC you are just a rapper. Rappers come and go, MCs endure because they are lyricists. Apparently, Mos Def is no longer Mos Def, which sounds so much cooler than Yasiin. When Xzibit was being interviewed I had to recover my thoughts of him being an MC, I couldn't shake Pimp My Ride, but that just made me think of how far he and others like Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and Ice T have come in the entertainment industry. I found it to be profound when Ice T spoke to Eminem after Red Man had given him his props to say that one of the greatest of all times is a white cat. It is true Eminem is one of the best. I was a bit disappointed in the fact that only one female MC was featured in the East, Salt and only one in the West, MC Lyte. I thought that Eve could have been counted, but maybe she's considered part of the new school. Salt and MC Lyte were both poised and articulate, did a bit of a freestyle as did the Guys but did not delve into the standard language of the Hip Hop culture that being the colloquialisms and the profanity. The film is not yet rated, but every conversation included: fork, beach, sheet, 4Q and knicker (figure it out). When it does get a rating it will be at minimum an 'R', just for the language alone. This film is not for the prudish or young children, but anyone who grew up listening to these artists will love the on screen journey. It's not for everybody but I liked it and am giving it a green light.