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PBS’ ‘Hip-Hop’ looks for roots of negativity

by: CARY DARLING
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

On the surface, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, the latest installment in PBS’ Independent Lens series, revolves around the culture of violence, misogyny and homophobia that underpins much of hip-hop. But this very personal film of growth and awareness turns out to be more fascinating than just another lecture about the negative aspects of thug life.

Director Byron Hurt is a former college quarterback who grew up on hip-hop and never questioned many of the images portrayed in the music until he got involved in violence-prevention education. He then became less seduced by the style’s portrayal of hyper-masculinity and more intrigued by its origins, appeal and effect.

So Hurt (who previously made the documentary I Am a Man: Black Masculinity in America) took to the streets, talking to fans, rappers, activists and scholars about why it is often hip-hop’s most base elements that have come to define it — and how he believes they’ve helped constrain the image of young Black Men in a straitjacket of one-dimensional brutality.

The film is most revealing when trying to pin down the likes of Russell Simmons, Busta Rhymes and Black Entertainment Television Senior Vice President Stephen Hill on issues of sexism and Gay-bashing in hip-hop — and they avoid dealing with the questions. (Rhymes and Hill walk away from the camera.)

Hurt’s points aren’t new, but they’re conveyed with passion, although this documentary is no anti-hip-hop rant. It’s clear that Hurt likes the form, and the inclusion of more complex performers such as Talib Kweli and Mos Def speaks to the genre’s depth, even if it’s sometimes ignored by mainstream media.

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes then provides the flip side to what’s going on, down the television dial at MTV and BET.

Independent Lens: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

11 p.m. Tuesday

KERA/Channel 13

GRADE: A-

So take your time, do your thing… and I’ll see you on the way up to NYC!!!! You know now that I’ll be living up there, I will be in the MD/DC area OFTEN!!! *hugs* =)))

They aren’t still doing the open-mic nights are they? I haven’t heard anything about it lately, so I figured there haven’t been any. Get at me via e-mail and let me know if you start hosting them again, cause you damn sure weren’t lying about all the women that would show up! T’was a beautiful thing!

Dayum. If I couldn’t do anything but read and laugh, I enjoyed reading your blog. I’m keepin’ hope alive! Your link STAYS on my blog until you come back around.

Meanwhile, take care.

I’ll be back to read the rest of your post when I calm the hell down.