| Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme | |
|---|---|
 U.S. release poster | |
| Directed by | Kevin Fitzgerald |
| Produced by | Henry Alex Rubin |
| Cinematography | Todd Hickey |
| Edited by | Paul Devlin |
| Distributed by | Palm Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $12,600 [1] |
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme is a 2000 American documentary film directed by Kevin Fitzgerald. The film depicts the art of freestyle rap.
The history of freestyle rap is explored in the film, with a mix of performance and commentary from a number of artists. Using archive footage, the film traces the origins of improvised hip hop to sources including African-American preachers, Jamaican toasts, improvised jazz, and spoken-word poets.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 18 reviews, and an average rating of 7.8/10. [2] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [3]
A. O. Scott of The New York Times commented that "The skills on display in Freestyle are too varied and idiosyncratic for one movie to contain, but this one at least offers a heady, rousing education in an art form that is too often misunderstood." [4] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club wrote, "With a running time just over an hour, Freestyle doesn't have the time or space to offer an exhaustive or definitive history of freestyling, but it exuberantly captures its spirit, and like any good rapper, it's savvy enough to leave audiences hungry for more." [5] Fred Camper of Chicago Reader called it "[a]n engaged and knowing look at the underground world of improvised rap, concentrating on artists less interested in commercial success and cutting records than in the 'spontaneous right now' of 'nonconceptual rhyme.'" [6]
In 2012, Complex placed the film at number 17 on the "25 Best Hip-Hop Documentaries" list. [7]
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodstock Film Festival | 2000 | Best Documentary | Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme | Won | [8] |
| Kara Film Festival | 2006 | Special Mention for Best Documentary | Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme | Won | [9] |
Freestyle is a style of hip hop music where an artist improvises an unwritten verse from the head, with or without instrumental beats, in which lyrics are recited with no particular subject or structure. It is similar to other improvisational music, such as jazz, where a lead instrumentalist acts as an improviser with a supporting band providing a beat. Freestyle originally was simply verse that is free of style, written rhymes that do not follow a specific subject matter, or predetermined cadence. The newer style with the improvisation grew popular starting in the early 1990s. It is now mainly associated with hip hop.
Wild Style is a 1983 American hip hop film directed and produced by Charlie Ahearn. Regarded as the first hip hop motion picture, it includes appearances by seminal figures such as Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, The Rock Steady Crew, The Cold Crush Brothers, Queen Lisa Lee of Zulu Nation, Grandmaster Flash and ZEPHYR.
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, better known as Black Thought, is an American rapper, singer, actor and the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots, which he co-founded with drummer Questlove. Regarded as "one of the most skilled, incisive, and prolific rappers of his time", he is widely lauded for his live performance skills, continuous multisyllabic rhyme schemes, complex lyricism, double entendres, and politically aware lyrics. He and The Roots perform as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, frequently playing games with Fallon and his guests.
Reco Dewayne Price, better known by his stage name Supernatural is an American rapper best known for his "on-the-spot" freestyle and battle rap abilities. He has been a regular performer and host of the Rock the Bells Music Festival since its beginning in 2004.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party, also known as Block Party, is a 2005 American documentary film hosted and written by comedian Dave Chappelle, and directed by Michel Gondry.
Kamaal the Abstract is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Q-Tip, released September 15, 2009, on Battery Records. Recorded in 2001, the album is a departure from his solo debut album Amplified (1999). Kamaal the Abstract is an eclectic album that features Q-Tip rapping, singing, and exploring his jazz influences. The album contains introspective and life-related lyrical themes.
Marci X is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Benjamin, written by Paul Rudnick, and starring Lisa Kudrow as Jewish-American Princess Marci Feld, who has to take control of a hip-hop record label, as well as the controversial rapper Dr. S, played by Damon Wayans. The film was produced by Klasky Csupo and Reno & Osborn Films and released on August 22, 2003, by Paramount Pictures. It received negative reviews and was a box office flop, grossing $1.7 million worldwide against a $20 million budget.
Craig Curry, better known by his stage name Craig G, is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known as one of the members of hip hop producer Marley Marl's Cold Chillin' Records group Juice Crew.
John R. Austin II, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the group Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir. About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Pitchfork Media called him "one of the best rappers of all time".
East of Havana is a 2006 documentary film co-produced by South African actress Charlize Theron. The film features three young Cuban rappers: Soandry, Magyori, and Mikki and centers on their experiences in the Cuban underground hip hop scene.
Universal Mind Control is the eighth studio album by American rapper Common. Originally scheduled to be released on June 24, 2008 under the name Invincible Summer, the release date was pushed back to September 30, 2008 due to Common's acting gig in the film Wanted. However, on September 10, 2008, it was announced that the title would be changed to Universal Mind Control and the release date was set for November 11, 2008. Later, the release was pushed back to December 9, 2008.
Battle rap is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults, wordplay and disses originating in the African-American community. Battle rap is often performed, or freestyled, spontaneously in live battles known as Rap battles, where participants will compete on the same stage to see who has the better verses.
Random Axe is the only studio album from the American hip hop group Random Axe, released June 14, 2011, on Duck Down Music Inc. The group was composed of hip hop producer Black Milk and rappers Guilty Simpson and the late Sean Price. The album was produced entirely by Black Milk and features guest contributions from Roc Marciano, Danny Brown, Fat Ray, Melanie Rutherford, Rock, Trick Trick, and Fatt Father.
I'm Still Here is a 2010 American mockumentary musical parody film directed by Casey Affleck, and written by Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix. The film follows the real life of Phoenix from the announcement of his retirement from acting through his transition into a career as a hip hop artist. Throughout the filming period, Phoenix remained in character for public appearances, giving many the impression that he was genuinely pursuing a new career.
Rip the Jacker is the fifth studio album by American rapper Canibus. Produced by Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind of the group Jedi Mind Tricks, the album was released on July 22, 2003, through Babygrande Records.
Workingman's Death is a 2005 Austrian-German documentary film written and directed by Michael Glawogger. It premiered at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. The film deals with the extremes to which workers go to earn a living in several countries around the world.
Omar Rogelio Tull, better known by his stage name PackFM, is an American Underground hip hop artist and producer from Brooklyn, New York City. As a teenager in the mid-1990s, PackFM began his battle career, winning numerous prestigious freestyle titles. These wins include the 88HipHop MC Battle Champion, where he was inducted into their Hall of Fame after four undefeated months, Braggin Rites tournament in 1999, Everlast Harlem Lyricist Championship in 2003, and three undefeated months in the 24 Hour MC Battle sponsored by TDK.
Nas: Time Is Illmatic is a 2014 documentary film directed by One9 and produced by One9, Erik Parker and Anthony Saleh. The film recounts the circumstances leading up to Nas' 1994 debut album Illmatic. Released on the 20th anniversary of Illmatic, the film includes interviews with Nas, his brother and father, and figures from the East Coast hip hop scene. Nas: Time Is Illmatic premiered during the opening night of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, on April 16, 2014. The project received a grant from Tribeca All Access and additional funding from the Ford Foundation.
Game Face is the tenth studio album by American rapper Master P, released on December 18, 2001. It marked the debut of The New No Limit Records and a partnership with Universal Records. There are three singles released from the album, "Ooohhhwee", "Real Love", and "Rock it", Music videos were released for all three. The album received a mixed reception from critics who saw some change in Master P's production choices from his producers and lyrical delivery but felt that it wasn't anything new from the genre.
Bad Rap is a 2016 documentary directed by Salima Koroma, and produced by Jaeki Cho. The documentary follows the lives of Korean-American hip-hop artists Dumbfounddead, Awkwafina, Rekstizzy, and Lyricks, and their struggle to garner credibility in the American hip-hop industry. Bad Rap premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 13, 2016, and has since been screened at twelve other film festivals around the world. As of September 7, 2017, the film has been made available on the iTunes Store, Amazon, VUDU, Google Play, and Netflix.