Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme (2000)

A documentary about freestyling--the improvised, on-the-spot rhymes that demonstrate the skills of hip-hop MCs.

Director:

Kevin Fitzgerald

Stars:

Muhammad Ali, Planet Asia, Bahamadia

4 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself (archive footage)
Planet Asia	...	Himself
Bahamadia	...	Herself
Akim Funk Buddah	...	Himself
Eluard Burt	...	Himself
Myo Campbell	...	Himself
John Coltrane	...	Himself (archive footage)
Darkleaf	...	Himself
Mos Def	...	Himself
Kirby Dominant	...	Himself
Eminem	...	Himself (archive footage)
Freestyle Fellowship	...	Themselves
Lord Finesse	...	Himself
Kevin Fitzgerald	...	Himself (voice)
Richard Fox

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

hip hop | freestyle | battle | underground | audience | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 April 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Freestyle

Filming Locations:

New York, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$4,842 (USA) (16 July 2004)

Gross:

$11,255 (USA) (23 July 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bowery Films, Organic Films, The Center for Hip-Hop Education

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Wild Style (1983)

User Reviews

refined and raw

as a person fairly new to the world of hip hop, i found "freestyle" to be informative, entertaining and enlightening. the cinematography was captive and gave the viewer a sense of being present and intimate in settings we might not otherwise have had access to. it was quick paced and varied enough to keep us interested, but also did not gloss over moments or personalities - rather it led us into the world of free styling with a set of characters who were both charming and disconcerting; refined and raw. the film succeeded in giving its audience a chance to experience free styling in a way we otherwise may not be able to.