Gil Scott-Heron - “Black Wax” BluRay (director: Robert Mugge)

Poet-prophet and proto-rap icon

Anyone not familiar with the work of Gil Scott-Heron is really missing out on one of America's finest and wisest musical storytellers and a major (major!) inspiration for the early rap scene even. Scott-Heron was a profoundly political and socially responsible poet and musician, working in the avenues of spoken word and music both separately and simultaneously. 

Here, in this 1982 film, director Mugge pretty much hands over the controls to him, and to great result. Juxtaposing funky live footage of Scott-Heron with his band and in-the-streets-and-on-the-move spoken poetry, “Black Wax” is an intimately personal portrait of an artist at the top of his game. Don’t expect any sort of history lesson, as there’s no background or historical info here, but simply a “day in the life” of this brilliant man.

Sadly, Scott-Heron passed away in 2011. But thanks to MVD Visual, this lively and enlightening document is seeing a new life on remastered BluRay. It looks and sounds great, and the words of Gil Scott-Heron resonate still today. Superb film!

MVD Visual

Gil Scott-Heron site

“Freestyle - The Art Of Rhyme” DVD (director: DJ Organic)

Hip hop culture historical

This documentary dates back to an original theatrical release in 2004, but that doesn’t tarnish the impact and importance of its message. Taking a deep and historical look at the early days of hip hop and the art of improvisational rap, “Freestyle” traces the lineage from Jamaican toasting to gospel preaching to modern street hip hop, all the while illustrating it with interviews and rare footage from early proponents and important figures like Mos Def, the Last Poets, and Aesop Rock, to name just a few.

From a historical standpoint, “Freestyle” is pretty well a definitive lesson in itself of the culture, eschewing most commercial angles and pop culture icons and focusing on the reasoning and skills of the early street MCs themselves, some obscure and forgotten but all very skilled and worthy.

This is a fine documentary and should be a must-see for anyone who professes to live or respect hip hop culture. Superb!

MVD Visual