ICE-T UNFREEZES "ART OF RAP " TEST OF TIME DEBATE,
"I THINK SOMEBODY CAN WRITE THE NEXT [ONE] ""
With rapper-turned-director Ice-T "s new The Art of Rap currently in theaters
nationwide, SOHH recently chopped it up with the hip-hop veteran to see if his
new documentary will stand the test of time.
In Ice "s perspective, the Art of Rap will likely serve as an inspiration for
other people to pick-up where his documentary ends.
"It documents the time, it documents some of the people that had
something to do with the movement of hip-hop. We weren "t able to see everybody
because there "s millions of rappers but this is kind of my journey through hip-hop,"
Ice told SOHH. "I think it stands the test of time. Definitely. I think
somebody can write the next Art of Rap, fill in the blanks, take us into the
new school, take us into the future. But I think this is a good foundation,
it "s a good start. You only got 120 minutes." (SOHH)
He also described how much of a grind it was to edit his documentary for the
big screen.
"Crazy, it was impossible," Ice added when asked how difficult
it was to edit the film for theatrical release. "We started out with a
five-hour edit, then four, three, then before Sundance it was two. It was very,
very difficult. We have a lot of footage and this thing will morph into other
things but I don "t really want to push that. I want people to go out and see
this. With a movie like this, it lives and dies on that first weekend."
(SOHH)
The doc takes fans into the early stages of rap and personal lives of hip-hop
artists.
Ice-T takes us on an intimate journey into the heart and soul of hip-hop
with the legends of rap music. This performance documentary goes beyond the
stardom and the bling to explore what goes on inside the minds, and erupts from
the lips, of the grandmasters of rap. Recognized as the godfather of Gangsta
rap, Ice-T is granted unparalleled access to the personal lives of the masters
of this artform that he credits for saving his life. Interspersed with the performers "
insightful, touching, and often funny revelations are classic raps, freestyle
rhymes, and never before heard a cappellas straight from the mouths of the creators.
What emerges is a better understanding of, and a tribute to, an original American
art form that brought poetry to a new generation. (Rotten Tomatoes)
The film "s theatrical release ruffled some hip-hop bloggers who called out
rap fans for not showing enough monetary support.
"Where the real hip-hop fans at? Apparently, not at the movies. Ice-T "s
independent documentary Art Of Rap premiered this past weekend and grossed a
paltry $150K. Although it was shown in limited theaters, it was available in
major markets like New York, a place where there "s more rappers than microphones.
At my 7 PM showing Queens, there were only three people in attendance? and one
of "em worked there! Look, nobody was expecting Art Of Rap to do Avatar numbers,
but big turnouts mean big funding for future projects. If the film is in your
city, support the culture and check it out now! ? B.Dot" (Rap Radar)
sohh.com
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