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Grandmaster Caz: THE '70s WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TIMES
IN NEW YORK CITY, THE BRONX ESPECIALLY.
THE SOUTH BRONX AREA LOOKED LIKE BEIRUT.
IT LOOKED LIKE A WAR-TORN COUNTRY,
BUT OUT OF ALL THAT DESPAIR CAME HIP-HOP.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Busy Bee: BUSY BEE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING.
COME ON, GIVE ME A LITTLE SOUL CLAP,
LET'S HAVE A LITTLE FUN, HERE WE GO.
♪ MAN, I RAP IN NEW YORK CITY ALL YEARS AROUND ♪
♪ AND MY NAME IS KNOWN ALL OVER THE TOWN ♪
♪ Y'ALL, PEOPLE HERE LOVE THE WAY I RUN MY GAME ♪
♪ THEY CAN'T WAIT TO SEE ME MAKE THE HALL OF FAME ♪
♪ BUSY BEE IS MY NAME, AND THAT'S A FACT ♪
♪ AND YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT WITH A STICKBALL BAT ♪
♪ WHERE THE LADIES ARE LOCKED, YOUNG LADIES GALORE ♪
♪ IT'S ONE AND ALL I DO ADORE ♪
♪ 'CAUSE THE WAY Y'ALL TALK AND THE WAY Y'ALL SMILE ♪
♪ Y'ALL COMING TO THE PARTIES IN EXECUTIVE STYLE ♪
♪ SO IT MAKES NO SENSE JUST STANDIN' AROUND ♪
♪ COME ON, YOUNG LADIES, LET'S ALL GET DOWN ♪
♪ AND HAVE A BALL, Y'ALL, AND ROCK 'EM ALL, Y'ALL ♪
YEAH, MAN, THIS PARTY GONNA BE HOT...
Grandmaster Caz: GROWING UP IN THE BRONX AROUND THAT TIME
IS DIFFERENT FOR ME AS A KID
AS OPPOSED TO, MAYBE, SOMEONE WHO WAS OLDER.
A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON WERE ABOVE ME,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AS FAR BEING A KID IN THE BRONX, IN 1972, '73, '74, IT WAS COOL.
IF WE HAD NORMAL THINGS OPEN TO US LIKE PROGRAMS,
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, DAY CARE PROGRAMS AND STUFF...
NOTHING WAS HAPPENING THEN, EVERYTHING WAS CUT.
HIP-HOP CAME ALONG, IT WAS LIKE THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE.
♪ LIKE A SOUND YOU HEAR THAT LINGERS IN YOUR EAR ♪
♪ BUT YOU CAN'T FORGET FROM SUNDOWN TO SUNSET ♪
Grandmaster Caz: THE FIRST DOCUMENTED HIP-HOP PARTY
WAS GIVEN BY DJ KOOL HERC BACK ON AUGUST 11, 1973.
HERC WAS THE FIRST DJ TO REALLY PLAY THE BREAK BEATS,
STRICTLY FOR THE BEAT BOYS TO DANCE.
THERE ARE FOUR MAIN ELEMENTS IN THE CULTURE OF HIP-HOP--
BREAK DANCING--THE DANCE INSPIRED BY THE BEATS AND BREAKS
PLAYED BY EARLY HIP-HOP DJs.
DJING--THE ART OF MIXING ON TURNTABLES.
GRAFFITI--WE HAD OUR OWN WAY OF PEOPLE KNOWING WHO WE WERE
WITHOUT BEING EXACTLY FAMOUS OR ON TELEVISION.
WE WERE GRAFFITI ARTISTS.
WE COULD WRITE OUR NAMES ALL OVER THE CITY,
AND YOU'D SEE IT WHEREVER YOU GO.
RAP.
♪ THE GIRLS CALL ME FINE ♪
♪ I'M LITTLE RAMMELLZEE AND I'M RIGHT ON TIME ♪
♪ AND TOGETHER FOREVER WE'LL BLOW YOUR MIND ♪
Grandmaster Caz: DJING IS THE FOUNDATION OF HIP-HOP.
IT'S THE MUSIC AND THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE CULTURE,
AND THE ART OF DJING IS ACTUALLY JUST PLAYING RECORDS
AND REMIXING THE WAY THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PLAYED.
THE RECORDS THAT WE USED TO PLAY FOR HIP-HOP BACK IN THE DAY
WERE R&B, FUNK, AND SOUL RECORDS,
LIKE ISAAC HAYES OR JAMES BROWN OR PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC.
HIP-HOP DIDN'T INVENT ANYTHING.
HIP-HOP REINVENTED EVERYTHING.
RAPPERS STARTED WITH SIMPLE PHRASES.
Rapper: SAY ROMANTIC!
Audience: ROMANTIC!
Rapper: SAY SHAKE THAT THANG!
Audience: SHAKE THAT THANG!
Rapper: SAY SHAKE THAT THANG!
Audience: SHAKE THAT THANG!
Rapper: SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT,
SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT, SHAKE IT...
Grandmaster Caz: AND THEN THE PHRASE TURNED INTO LIKE A SENTENCE.
AND THE SENTENCE TURNED INTO A VERSE.
THEN THE VERSE TURNED INTO A PARAGRAPH,
AND THEN IT TURNED INTO RHYMES.
♪ WELL, THEY HEARD MY VOICE COULD MAKE Y'ALL DANCE ♪
♪ SO THEY FINALLY BEGGED, Y'ALL GAVE ME A CHANCE ♪
♪ THEN I ROCKED THE HOUSE SO VICIOUSLY ♪
♪ ALL THE GIRLS JUST TALKIN' 'BOUT BUSY BEE ♪
♪ SO GET DOWN, STOP THAT MESSIN' AROUND ♪
♪ BECAUSE BUSY BEE IS IN YOUR TOWN ♪
♪ I SAID BEIN' AN M.C. JUST WASN'T MY CHOICE ♪
♪ BUT I SOON FOUND OUT I HAD THE GOLDEN VOICE ♪
♪ I WAS TOO HOT TO HANDLE, TOO COLD TO HOLD ♪
♪ BECAUSE M.C. STANDS FOR MIC CONTROL ♪
Grandmaster Caz: IN THE BEGINNING OF HIP-HOP AND RAP MUSIC,
IT WAS BASICALLY, PARTY.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE PARTYING.
AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT,
AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE MADE RECORDS ABOUT.
THE NEXT GENERATION OF RAP MUSIC STARTED TALKING ABOUT
THE CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AROUND US.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK
THE REST OF THE WORLD OR COUNTRY KNEW ABOUT.
♪ GOT A BUM EDUCATION, DOUBLE-DIGIT INFLATION ♪
♪ CAN'T TAKE THE TRAIN TO THE JOB ♪
♪ THERE'S A STRIKE AT THE STATION ♪
♪ NEON KING KONG STANDIN' ON MY BACK ♪
♪ CAN'T STOP TO TURN AROUND, BROKE MY SACROILIAC ♪
♪ A MID-RANGE MIGRAINE, CANCERED MEMBRANE ♪
♪ SOMETIMES I THINK I'M GOIN' INSANE ♪
♪ I SWEAR I MIGHT HIJACK A PLANE! ♪
♪ DON'T PUSH ME 'CAUSE I'M CLOSE TO THE EDGE ♪
♪ I'M TRYIN' NOT TO LOSE MY HEAD ♪
♪ IT'S LIKE A JUNGLE, SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME WONDER ♪
♪ HOW I KEEP FROM GOIN' UNDER ♪
Grandmaster Caz: RAP MUSIC IS GOING THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES,
AND IN THE '90s, YOU'VE GOT GANGSTER RAP GIVING BIRTH.
IT'S THE GANGSTER THEME.
IT'S THE THUG ERA.
SOMEONE LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN,
THEY SEE DRUGS, THEY SEE GUNS, *** CLAD WOMEN,
THEY SEE THE GREED OF MONEY,
AND PUTTING MONEY ABOVE ALL OTHER THINGS.
BUT THE RAP INDUSTRY AND THE CULTURE OF HIP-HOP
ARE TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT.
WATCH THIS MOVIE, IT'LL GIVE YOU A BETTER VIEW OF HIP-HOP
THAN YOU'RE RECEIVING NOW-- WHAT IT REALLY CONSISTS OF,
OR WHAT IT WAS REALLY ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT HIP-HOP IS A SAVING GRACE
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
♪ WELL, I'M GRANDMASTER CAZ, JUST SHOOTING MY SHOT ♪
♪ I'M GUARANTEED TO GIVE YOU ALL THE GAME I GOT ♪
FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND BE THE CAT, OR ONE OF THE CATS,
WHO WAS AT THE BEGINNING, THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS,
AND TO TURN AROUND AND LOOK 30 YEARS LATER,
AND LOOK ACROSS THE WORLD AT GUYS DOING WHAT I STARTED,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
IT BOGGLES THE MIND, MAN, IT BOGGLES THE MIND, FOR REAL.
[APPLAUSE]
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
Dyverse: I MEAN, ALL AROUND THE WORLD,
HIP-HOP IS THE VOICE OF THE YOUNG GENERATION.
IT'S THE VOICE OF THE OPPRESSED.
IT'S THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE REACHING FOR MORE.
IT'S "NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT YOUR WAY."
WE'RE GONNA ALL, INDIVIDUALLY, EXPRESS OURSELVES
THE WAY WE FEEL LIKE IT,
AND ---- Y'ALL IF Y'ALL DON'T LIKE IT.
[CROWD YELLING]
[GUNSHOT]
Davey D: THE GUYS IN FRANCE, YOU KNOW,
THEY WOULD INSPIRE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, RIOTS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BURNING UP STUFF,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THEIR WORD OF MOUTH.
THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT'S GOING ON.
Stic Man: WE GOT A LOT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD
THAT FEEL THE SAME WAY WE FEEL IN THE HOOD OVER HERE.
Davey D: IF IT GETS OVER HERE, IT'S GONNA KICK INTO THE ARTISTS
WHO WERE BLINGIN' AND THINKING THAT THEY SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW,
UNDER THE ILLUSION OF INCLUSION, IT'S GONNA INSPIRE THEM.
[RINGING]
Announcer: THE FREEDOM BELL IN WEST BERLIN TOLLS IN SYMPATHY
FOR EAST GERMANS ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY
OF THE WALL OF SHAME THAT HOLDS THEM PRISONERS.
Davey D: WHEN PEOPLE JUST REALLY FIND THEIR OWN VOICE,
IT'S UNPARALLELED.
WHERE IT EXTENDS TO OTHER PLACES,
LIKE THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND ASIA,
THAT'S REALLY THE WORK OF BAMBAATAA AND ROCKSTEADY CREW,
THOSE EARLY PIONEERS THAT WERE THE FIRST TO REALLY GO OVERSEAS,
AND IN DOING SO, BROUGHT THOSE EXPRESSIONS,
AND RECOGNIZING THAT THE WORLD HAS ALWAYS IMITATED
A LOT OF WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
WHETHER IT'S IN AMERICA, OR WHETHER IT'S JUST IN GENERAL.
Tyron Ricketts: MY FATHER'S FROM JAMAICA.
MY MOM'S FROM AUSTRIA.
I DID STICK OUT ALL THE TIME,
'CAUSE I WAS THE ONLY BLACK KID IN SCHOOL.
SO, YOU ACTUALLY FEEL PRETTY ALONE,
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT YOURSELF,
LIKE, HOW TO FIND YOUR POSITION AS A BLACK MAN IN GERMANY.
I STARTED FEELING A BIT RELIEVED WHEN MY FRIEND, CHRIS,
WHO IS ACTUALLY STILL A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, CAME IN SCHOOL.
HE HAD, LIKE, A TAPE.
HE WAS LIKE, "HEY, DO YOU KNOW RAP?"
AND I THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A GROUP.
AND 'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT I DON'T KNOW IT,
I WAS LIKE, "YEAH, YEAH."
SO HE GAVE ME THE TAPE, AND I LISTENED TO IT.
AND I WAS LIKE, YO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME,
AND THEY DO SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY LIKE.
SO FROM THAT MOMENT ON, I BECAME A RAP FAN.
I WAS LIKE 14.
AND, LIKE, WITHIN DAYS,
WE DECIDED WE WANT TO DO THE SAME STUFF.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Joe Rilla: HERE NOW WE'RE ON THE SPOT WHERE, LIKE, 18 OR 19,
JUST DOING GRAFFITI ON THE WALLS.
I DO GRAFFITI FOR SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, YOU KNOW.
IT'S LIKE SOMETHING LIKE A PROFESSION,
BECAUSE AN ILLEGAL PROFESSION.
I DO MY ART, DO IT IN HANDCUFFS, IT WON'T FUNCTION, YOU KNOW.
I SAY, OK, I WILL RAP.
Busy Bee: HIP-HOP IS NATIONAL, GLOBAL-WIDE.
THEY WAS TALKING...
[SCAT SINGING]
HIP-HOP IS ALL COLORS, TOO, YOU KNOW.
IT'S GREEN, BLACK, WHITE, RED.
IT AIN'T NO BLACK THING.
Stic Man: AND OTHER CULTURES CAN USE IT AND SHARE IN IT
AND DO THEIR VERSION OF IT.
IT'S ALL GOOD, BUT JUST RESPECT THE RULES, THOUGH.
MI: YOU CAN *** IT, BUT YOU CAN'T *** IT.
[RAPPING IN GERMAN]
[SINGING IN GERMAN]
Ricketts: THE WALL WAS RIGHT HERE WHERE WE'RE DRIVING.
AND NOBODY WANTED TO LIVE HERE 'CAUSE IT WAS SO CLOSE
TO THE WALL, SO EVEN POLICE DIDN'T EVEN COME HERE.
Rilla: WE JUST PLAYING ON THIS GROUND,
AND THE PEOPLE JUMPING OUT OF THE WINDOWS.
THEY'RE DOING THE SUICIDE, BECAUSE THE CHANGE BETWEEN
SOCIALISM AND CAPITALISM, IT WAS TOO STRANGE FOR THE PEOPLE.
MY DAD SAID TO ME, "JUST GO, GO TO THE WEST SIDE
AND JUST HAVE A LOOK."
AND I SAY, "OK, I'LL JUST HAVE A LOOK," BUT I CROSSED THE LINE,
I CROSSED THE LINE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST BERLIN,
AND SAY, OK, I HAVE A ---- UP FEELING IN MY STOMACH.
I SAY, OK, WHERE'S THE ENEMY, WHERE'S THE ENEMY?
EVERY MAN, EVERY WOMAN THAT CROSSED MY WAY WAS LIKE,
IS THAT A ENEMY, IS THAT A ENEMY?
I'M JUST LIKE ---- UP IN THE BRAIN, YOU KNOW.
IT WAS CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY.
Ricketts: SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN THE WALL CAME DOWN,
IT WAS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPECTED THINGS
TO WORK OUT GREAT IN GERMANY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO IN THE EAST
LIKE, THEY KIND OF HAD AN IDEA THAT THE BEST OF BOTH SYSTEMS
WOULD COME TOGETHER AS, LIKE, ONE GREAT SYSTEM.
AND IT DIDN'T REALLY WORK OUT THAT WAY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE EAST, LIKE, FELT
THEY WERE COMING SHORT A BIT, AND THERE WAS, LIKE, A REASON
FOR PEOPLE GETTING, LIKE, A LITTLE UNSATISFIED,
AND SO PRETTY MUCH THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME,
WHICH, A LOT OF THEM, I'M NOT SAYING ALL OF THEM,
BUT A LOT OF THEM FOUND IT IN, LIKE, FOREIGNERS
THAT WERE LIVING THERE.
HOUSES STARTED BURNING, PEOPLE WERE CHASED, LIKE HUNT DOWN,
PEOPLE WERE BEAT DOWN.
PEOPLE WERE THROWING, LIKE, MOLOTOV COCKTAILS
INTO, LIKE, ASYLUM-SEEKER HOUSES,
AND YOU HAD PICTURES LIKE THIS IN THE NEWS ALL THE TIME,
YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD, LIKE, SEE ATTACKS ON FOREIGNERS
ALL THE TIME IN THE EAST.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
[RAPPING IN ARABIC]
Stormtrap: THE WHOLE THING STARTED OUT
DURING THE SECOND INTIFADA.
THAT GAVE US A LOT OF TIME TO BE CREATIVE, ACTUALLY.
Boikutt: AT FIRST WE USED TO MAKE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ONLY.
ALL THREE OF US USED TO PRODUCE MUSIC ON OUR COMPUTERS,
BUT THEN MYSELF AND STORMTRAP DECIDED TO START
EXPRESSING OURSELVES MORE THROUGH LYRICS.
Stormtrap: WE USED TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW,
LIKE THE TANKS THAT WERE ROLLING ON YOUR STREETS,
LIKE THE F-16 PLANE FLYING RIGHT OVER THE HOUSE.
G-Town: IF YOU OPEN THE WINDOW AND LOOK OUTSIDE,
YOU CAN MAKE TEN ALBUMS.
DID YOU SEE THE WALL AROUND OUR CAMP?
THIS CAMP IS A REAL GHETTO, JUST LIKE IN AMERICA, YOU KNOW.
THEY PUT US IN THIS PRISON HERE.
WE'RE NORMAL PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT MONSTERS.
WE'RE NOT TERRORISTS,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE WORLD TREAT US LIKE THIS.
Mahmoud: WHEN I WAS YOUNG LISTENING TO HIP-HOP
AND SEEING IMAGES OF VIDEO CLIPS THAT HAD BEEN DONE BY TUPAC
OR ANY OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTIST,
AND HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT DRUGS
AND ABOUT BROTHERS SHOOTING HIS OTHER BROTHER
AND ABOUT RACIST ISSUE
AND ABOUT SOCIAL ISSUE, AND I FELT CONNECTED TO IT,
'CAUSE I FELT THE SAME WAY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
PEOPLE WAS GUNNED DOWN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD,
PEOPLE WAS SELLING DRUGS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD,
AND ALSO IT HAD A POLICY BACKGROUND OF IT.
A POLICY OF A RACIST STATE, AND THAT'S WHY IT HIT YOU--
LIKE, THIS MAN IS TALKING ABOUT ME, ACTUALLY.
Shadia Mansour: GIVE IT UP FOR DAM!
Davey D: WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST, YOU KNOW,
THE STRUGGLES WITH THE PALESTINIANS.
Dyverse: HIP-HOP BRINGS OTHER PEOPLES' LIVES INTO YOUR LIFE
SO THAT YOU CAN RELATE AND REMEMBER
THAT WE ALL THE SAME, THAT WE HUMAN.
Davey D: AND EVEN WITH THE ISRAELIS,
WHERE THEY...YOUTH AND HIP-HOP TO COMMUNICATE, YOU KNOW.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON,
AND THE FACT THAT SO MUCH IS POLITICIZED.
Sagol 59: JUST THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR MIND ON RECORD
AND SAY WHATEVER THE ---- YOU WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW,
REALLY APPEALED TO ME, BECAUSE I'M A VERY OPINIONATED PERSON.
I HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.
[RAPPING IN HEBREW]
G-Town: INSTEAD OF FIGHTING WITH HANDS,
I PREFER TO BATTLE SOMEONE WITH FREESTYLING.
WE'RE VERY ANGRY, BUT WE LEARNED TO DEAL WITH THINGS
IN A COOL WAY, YOU KNOW.
MUSIC, THIS IS THE WAY.
Sagol 59: I GREW UP IN A KIBBUTZ,
WHICH IS, TO SUM IT UP IN A SENTENCE,
IT'S A COMMUNAL SETTLEMENT BASED ON SOCIALIST IDEAS.
YOU'RE GROWING UP WITH THAT NOTION
THAT YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR DUTY,
DEFEND THE COUNTRY THAT YOU'RE LIVING IN,
CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY.
I DID MY COMPULSORY THREE-YEAR SERVICE.
TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF WHICH WAS IN SOUTH LEBANON.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT I WILL ACT AS HUMANELY POSSIBLE AS I CAN,
SO IT'S BETTER THAN ME BEING THERE THAN ANOTHER PERSON
THAT MIGHT NOT ACT LIKE I ACT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Tamer: TELL ME, ARE YOU PRO ISRAELI?
I'M NOT COOL WITH YOU.
DO YOU JOIN THE ARMY? I'M NOT COOL WITH YOU.
ARE YOU ZIONIST? I'M NOT COOL WITH YOU.
ARE YOU JEWS? I DON'T CARE.
Sagol 59: MY FEAR IS THAT ONCE RELIGIOUS FORCES
AND FUNDAMENTALIST FORCES STICK THEIR HANDS IN THIS STEW,
THEN WE'RE ----.
IF ISRAEL WANTED, THEY COULD WIPE OUT ALL OF GAZA IN A DAY,
YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE SHOULD COLLABORATE
WITH THE MORE MODERATE PEOPLE THERE,
AND NOT BE HOSTAGES OF THE EXTREME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.
WE'RE LIKE HOSTAGES OF THE EXTREMISTS.
THEY SCRATCH OUR WOUNDS, AND THEN WE ATTACK.
Tamer: IF JEWS ARE BORN TO THINK THAT THEY ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE,
RIGHT, SO, YEAH, BUT MUSLIMS AS WELL
THINK THAT THEY DESERVE TO GO TO HEAVEN,
AND CHRISTIANS ALWAYS THINKS THAT THEY--
I THINK IT'S A RELIGIOUS THING.
I DON'T--I ACCEPT TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, REALLY.
Neta: WE ALL MET IN THIS BOMB SHELTER HERE, IN JAFFA.
WE MEET AT A PLACE CALLED THE JAFFA YOUTH CENTER,
A PLACE WE STARTED, WE INITIATED,
MAINLY TO GIVE A STAGE AND A PLACE FOR ENCOUNTER
FOR DIFFERENT CREATORS FROM DIFFERENT REALMS.
AND THIS IS HOW ALL THE 10 MEMBERS OF THE BAND CAME,
AND THEN PRETTY QUICK WE JUST MIXED,
UNDERSTANDING THAT EVERYONE HAS A LOT TO TEACH
AND LEARN FROM EVERYONE.
[RAPPING]
WE HAD THESE JAMS WHERE PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING
TO EACH OTHER'S TEXTS OR MUSICAL MATERIALS,
EACH ONE BRINGING HIS OWN LANGUAGE, HIS OWN IDENTITY,
HIS OWN MUSICAL INFLUENCES.
[FREESTYLING]
AND THEN AT SOME POINT WE DECIDED,
OK, WE HAVE A LITTLE FAMILY HERE.
AND IT'S TIME TO TAKE ALL THESE VOICES OUT OF THE BOMB SHELTER
TO THE WORLD.
AND THE FIRST PERFORMANCE WAS RIGHT HERE.
Mansour: HIP-HOP IS UNIVERSAL,
AND IT SPEAKS NO LANGUAGES,
AND THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ON AGE WHATSOEVER.
Sagol 59: IN HIP-HOP YOU CAN FEEL ANOTHER MAN'S STORY
EVEN IF YOU LIVE THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM HIM.
D-Nice: THE FIRST THING THAT I LISTEN TO
IS ALWAYS ABOUT THE FLOW,
EVEN IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE.
THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME, YOU KNOW.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS USUALLY SECONDARY.
AFTER I LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, THEN I'LL TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT,
BUT IF I NEVER FIGURE IT OUT, IT'S ALL GOOD,
BECAUSE AT LEAST I GOT A PIECE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO BE IN THEIR WORLD.
Aswatt: YOU LOOK AT A HIP-HOP ARTIST,
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHEN HE RAPS,
YOU KNOW, WHEN HE PERFORMS, THE KIND OF BEATS HE USES,
THE KIND OF FLOW HE USES, THE KIND OF--ALL THAT SAYS A LOT.
EVEN OLDER PEOPLE RESPECT HIP-HOP,
BECAUSE TO THEM, ALL THEY'VE BEEN HEARING
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS IS LIKE TRASH POP
FROM THE ARAB WORLD ANYWAY.
Stormtrap: WHICH DOESN'T REALLY SAY ANYTHING.
Aswatt: WHICH DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING, YOU KNOW.
SO ALL THE PEOPLE HERE RESPECT HIP-HOP NOW.
THEY WERE A BIT, YOU KNOW, IN THE BEGINNING,
BUT WHEN THEY KIND OF HEARD THESE PEOPLE HAVE A MESSAGE...
Shaanan Streett: I'VE COLLABORATED OF COURSE WITH DAM.
THEY'RE ISRAELI-ARABS, ISRAELI-PALESTINIANS.
AND WE'VE PERFORMED WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES
IN A PEACE FESTIVAL IN MENDORA.
WE OPENED FOR THE BLACKEYED PEAS TOGETHER WITH THEM,
SO THAT WAS FUN.
AND TAMER AND SUHELL AND MAHMOUD,
THEY'RE ALL GOOD FRIENDS OF MINE.
Tamer: WHEN I DO A SONG ABOUT-- WITH AN ISRAELI GUY,
EVEN IF HE WAS A GREAT GUY,
I DO A SONG, THEN YOU PUT IT ON THE TV,
AND PEOPLE SEE ONE ARAB GUY, ONE ISRAELI GUY
DOING A SONG TOGETHER, AND HE'S LIKE, DAMN.
IT'S GOING GOOD IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
IT'S HAPPENING, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN.
AND I THINK THAT'S A COMMERCIAL AND THAT'S A PROPAGANDA
FOR SOMETHING THAT IT'S A LIE.
SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, IT'S LIKE YOU HEAR SCREAMS IN THAT ROOM,
AND SUDDENLY TWO PEOPLE COME OUT,
AND THEY'RE SAYING EVERYTHING'S OK IN THAT ROOM,
SO THE PEOPLE WILL SAY EVERYTHING'S OK IN THAT ROOM.
AND NOTHING'S OK IN THAT ROOM.
AND I THINK THAT'S BULL----.
YES, HE'S A NICE PERSON, I'M A NICE PERSON,
EVERYBODY'S A NICE PERSON.
BUT I THINK IT'S BEYOND THAT.
Aswatt: YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE,
WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY POLITICAL IN OUR TRACKS,
BUT WE'RE ALSO HUMANS AND ARTISTS FIRST, YOU KNOW?
AND THEN PALESTINIAN, I WOULD SAY.
Waterflow Wageble: I FELT CONNECTED TO THE AMERICAN HIP-HOP
WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THEY WERE SAYING,
AND I THINK THAT WAS SORT OF A CALLING TO ME.
THE ANCESTORS ARE FROM THE SAME PLACE WHERE I'M LIVING NOW.
WHEN IT COMES TO RAP, BREAKDANCE, GRAFFITIS,
I THINK IT'S ALWAYS LINKED TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN AFRICA
THAT IS, LIKE, MAYBE CENTURIES AND CENTURIES AGO.
WE HAVE SOMETHING WE CALL TASSOU.
YOU RHYME YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW,
EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOUR RAP,
BUT IT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE WHEN THE FEMALE,
MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE THE VOICE AT HOME.
WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER, THEY DO THE TASSOU
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK THAT NEEDS MUCH CHANGE.
Wageble: WHEN THERE IS, LIKE, A VILLAGE MEETING
OR A VILLAGE PARTY OR WHATEVER IT IS, PEOPLE GET TOGETHER
AND EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT THEIR OWN ISSUES
OR TALK ABOUT WHATEVER THEY FEEL INTO TASSOU.
[RAPPING IN FRENCH]
Stic Man: HIP-HOP CULTURE IS BLACK CULTURE,
IT'S AFRICAN CULTURE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
IT'S JUST IN A CURRENT FORM.
YOU SEE WHAT WE GOT IN COMMON WITHOUT EVEN SAYING.
IT'S HOW WE WALK, WHAT WE SPEAK, AND HOW WE SPEAK,
AND THE ENERGY AND THE CREATIVITY BEHIND IT,
THAT'S WHAT AFRICANS DO.
THAT'S OUR CULTURE.
Wageble: AFRICA, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT AFRICA USED TO USE
DRUMS FOREVER FOR EXPRESSION, TO CALL OUT PEOPLE FOR WAR
OR TO CALL OUT THE PEOPLE FOR, YOU KNOW, A MEETING.
OR WHEN THE KINGS WANT TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE,
THEY CAN JUST SEND OUT A CRIER.
HE'S THE ONE THAT IS VERY LEGITIMATE TO TALK TO THE KING
ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE FEEL,
AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN FACE THE KING
AND SAY THAT THE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AT YOU.
♪ STOP RAPING AFRICA LIKE SHE'S YOUR *** ♪
♪ TO MISTER OIL, DIAMOND AND GOLD MINER ♪
♪ STOP TREATING MOMMA AFRICA LIKE A *** ♪
♪ SHE'S NOT YOUR ***, NOT ANYMORE ♪
♪ TO MISTER OIL, DIAMOND AND GOLD MINER ♪
♪ SHE'S NOT YOUR ***, NOT ANYMORE ♪
♪ YOU TAKE THE RICHES, AND YOU LEAVE THE PEOPLE POOR ♪
♪ I SEE THE PUPPET GOVERNMENTS, BUT WHO'S PULLING THE STRINGS? ♪
♪ WHO'S PAYING FOR THE CIVIL WARS AND UPRISINGS? ♪
♪ WHO'S BENEFITING FROM OUR SUFFERINGS? ♪
♪ COULD IT BE MISTER OIL, DIAMOND AND GOLD MINER? ♪
♪ WHO'S TREATING AFRICA LIKE IT'S THEIR *** ♪
♪ OR IS IT THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES? ♪
♪ OR ARMS DEALERS WHO HATE PEACE TREATIES? ♪
♪ FACELESS, SHAMELESS, AND THEY REMAIN NAMELESS ♪
♪ ONE THING FOR SURE, THEY WON'T REMAIN BLAMELESS ♪
♪ ONE THING FOR SURE, THEY WON'T REMAIN BLAMELESS ♪
♪ ONE THING FOR SURE, THEY WON'T REMAIN BLAMELESS ♪
Lord Jamar: WE WENT OVER THERE TO PERFORM,
AND I WAS HAPPY TO GO TO AFRICA.
WE SAW THE REAL POVERTY AND ALL OF THAT.
IT WAS LIKE WOW, YOU KNOW.
IT WAS ROUGH.
I WAS SAD TO SEE THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT HAD IT
IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE WAS THIS MUCH POVERTY,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND THESE WERE BLACK PEOPLE.
THESE WERE BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE RULING,
WHO, TO MY EYE, WERE OPPRESSING OTHER BLACK PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE COLOR ALL THE TIME.
IT'S THE CONDITION, IT'S THE MACHINERY THAT'S CREATED,
THAT CREATES CERTAIN POVERTY AND OPPRESSION,
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO'S REALLY BEHIND IT.
IT'S THAT MACHINERY THAT'S EVIL.
Wageble: A LOT OF YOUTH TODAY LOOK UP TO US,
SO WE NEED SHOW THE CONTENT OF OUR MESSAGE.
WE, AS WAGEBLE, WHAT WE DO IS ORGANIZE A CONCERT
AND INVOLVE PEOPLE TO COME AND DONATE MONEY.
THE EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAVE, WE USE IT
TO GO TO A SPECIFIC SCHOOL AND INVOLVE ALL THE STUDENTS,
YOU KNOW, REPAINT THE WHOLE SCHOOL WITH THE STUDENTS
TO GET THEM INVOLVED
INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING DOWN, COMPLAINING,
AND ALSO WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ALWAYS DO FOR US,
BECAUSE WE'RE THE PEOPLE.
IF WE DON'T DO IT FOR US, NOBODY WILL DO IT.
Wageble: THE DNA OF HIP-HOP IS FROM AFRICA,
AND IT'S BEEN CARRIED BY ALLS OUR ANCESTORS
THAT BEEN ENSLAVED.
AND THEY CARRIED IT INTO THEIR DNA, INTO THEIR SOUL.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT NEED OF EXPRESSING THEMSELVES,
YOU KNOW, FROM THAT PAIN THAT THEY'VE BEEN LIVING
THROUGHOUT SLAVERY.
♪ DYVERSE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY ♪
♪ BIG WORMS SUCKER, I DON'T PLAY ORIGINATED IN THE A.F.R.I.C.A. ♪
♪ PUNKS JUMP UP WITH NUTTIN' TO SAY ♪
Tamer: LIKE A LITTLE KID WHEN HE WANNA EAT,
WHEN HE'S A BABY, HE CRIES,
AND WHEN HE GROWS UP, HE CAN SAY, "FOOD."
SO HIP-HOP TAUGHT ME TO SAY, "FOOD."
I KNEW WHAT I WANTED, I KNEW I WAS HUNGRY,
BUT HIP-HOP GAVE ME THE WORD.
IT GAVE ME THE EXPRESSION, THE WAY OF EXPRESSION.
IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO FIGHT.
Ramallah Underground: THE BEATS AND THE WHOLE FLOW AND EVERYTHING
IS JUST THE PERFECT WAY OF EXPRESSING YOURSELF.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.
Busy Bee: YOU GOT BLACKS, WHITES,
THEY RAPPIN' ALL COLORS NOW.
THEY'RE RAPPING SPANISH RAPPERS, AFRICAN RAPPERS,
SWAHILI RAPPERS.
THEY COMIN' ALL OUT THE BAG NOW!
♪ IT'S THE HIP-HOP AMBASSADOR, TONI BLACKMAN ♪
♪ AN AMERICAN TONGUE, YET THE ROOTS IS AFRICAN ♪
♪ FLIP THIS WITH NO DOUBT, SLIP AND DISAPPEAR ♪
♪ WORLDWIDE FLAVORS IN YOUR EAR, HEAR ♪
♪ FIRST YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T ♪
♪ STOP THIS MOVEMENT, NO, YOU WON'T ♪
♪ IT'S THE YOU AND THE ME, THE US AND THE WE ♪
♪ IT'S HIP-HOP ROCKIN' GLOBALLY, WHAT WHAT? ♪
♪ I'M THE BUSY BEE ♪
♪ THE HIP-HOP ICON, I GOT MY MIC ON ♪
♪ THE WHITE AIR NIKE ON, I PUT THAT PIKE ON ♪
♪ WHOEVER YOU LIKE ON ♪
♪ I'M A QUARTERBACK 'BOUT TO GET MY HIKE ON ♪
♪ A RAP THROWBACK CAT LIKE NAMATH, DOG ♪
♪ MIGHT BE NICE BUT NOT THE SAME IF ♪
♪ THE BUSY BEE FREAK ALL THE ROOKIES ♪
♪ GOT ALL THE HONEYS EATIN' BUSY BEE COOKIES ♪
♪ WELL, THIS IS D-Y-V FROM THE N-Y-C ♪
♪ YOU CAN SEARCH THE WHOLE PLANET FOR A CAT LIKE ME ♪
♪ TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WHEREVER THAT MIGHT BE ♪
♪ AND NEVER COME UP WITH A PERSON WHO CAN RAP LIKE ME ♪
♪ WHO BRING IT BACK LIKE ME, WRITIN' EXACT LIKE ME ♪
♪ AND WHO FEED THE BLACK PEOPLE LIKE A BLACKEYED PEA ♪
♪ I'M DYVERSE, THE FIRST M.C., CHECK IT OUT ♪
[RAPPING IN FRENCH]