Hip-Hop Evolution

Today's generation need to understand the roots and history of hip Hop and I feel this documentary does a good job of showing how hip hop developed within its own lifespan. I'm happy there wasn't too much emphasis on the pac/biggie quarrel and program really shows you where hip hop started from. Only down point to this is I feel there should have been a series 3 to cover more content about hip hop.

Some have mistaken the movie that was compiled and cut together from this series as the actual series. The movie played at some festivals and has a condensed view. I imagine it still is good, but hopefully some people who mixed those two up, will not confuse others. So if you are here for the longer run (it's almost 3 hours long, split into 4 episodes), you are in for a treat.

Though even that running time cannot cover everything, it does cover really interesting points in the history of how this became a cultural phenomenon. It's not just an evolution, but also a revolution at times. And it's really nice that the whole thing has a time-line and starts from the beginning, going towards the the newer age of hip hop. There are quite a few artists who get to say how it was for them and there is a lot of trivia shared. It's more broad in that way, which it has to be, because if covers not just one style. So while this may not be definitive and you may not find your favorite artist in this, it is one of the best looks inside and beyond Hip Hop

Edit: Just watched the second season. And while I didn't expect one to come (2 years after the initial season was made), it is as good as one would imagine. In-Depth and a lot of interviews and background information. You can feel the love through the screen

Edit 2: even more seasons and maybe no end in sight? I wouldn't mind, because the quality is there and the interviewer as someone in the game himself, knows what he talks and asks others about! Even if the Biggie and Pac thing has to be condensed it finally gets spoken about to here. But there's also the dirty south and so many more things, that as a rap fan you may have heard about or are at least interesting enough for those who did not live back then to experience now.

I really enjoyed this series documenting different periods in the formation of hip-hop. Although I feel like it didn't necessarily do enough to describe the anger and philosophy that was a huge part of hip-hop (except during its parts about the Message and gangsta rap), it provided a fairly well-rounded historical analysis of the musical interplay that allowed the form to progress, to grow richer and more varied, and to move beyond the party music of the late 70s to a more socially conscious art-form.

The most important and enriching aspect of this show is the commentary provided by hip-hop legends and people who were there, as well as how it shines light on some unsung heroes of early rap music. It was extremely watchable and interesting, and I can't wait until Season 2 when it delves into the 90s and hip-hop explodes and becomes the cultural juggernaut that it is today.

Fourth season now and no love for guys like Twista, Tech, Do Or Die, Or Bone thugs-n-harmony? Disappointing there.

There is a lot here and covers the basic of a lot of hip-hop, but misses the opportunity to talk about so many influential artists in the geographic locations they cover. Docu-series is very well made a produced, really great interviews.