Planet Rock: The Story of Hip-Hop and the Crack Generation (TV 2011)

A look at the rise of crack cocaine in urban America in the 1980s and it’s influence on popular culture, especially in hip-hop music.

Narrated by Ice T

This documentary focused on the cocaine generation to the crack generation. It seemed that young African Americans living in poverty had no choice but to get involved in illegal drugs, either as users and/or as dealers. At first it seemed to be a cool and sexy drug, but then people start to get burned out and problems start. This film took a surprising turn when they focused on the law enforcement and political side to the story. For many, hip hop was the only way out of the drug game. They do focus a lot on the hip hop side and they go in depth about what they are rapping about. Many hip hop artists were drug dealers and now they rap about their past experiences. Most are still stuck in the drug game and have no way out besides jail or death. You get interviews from Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Pepa, Too $hort, Freeway Ricky Ross, Azie, B-Real, RZA, Raekwon, and more. This documentary makes me think back on my favorites songs and I can find some hidden messages from artists such as KRS-One, Rakim, Ice-T, Kurtis Blow, Kool Moe Deep, LL Cool J, and more. This film was interesting and fun and I recommend it to anyone who is interested or ignorant about hip hop and black culture.

Featuring:

Too $hort
Michelle Alexander

B-Real
Mary Barr
Todd Boyd
Paul Butler

Cheo Hodari Coker

Barry Michael Cooper

Chuck D.

Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton

Snoop Dogg
Azie Faison Jr.
Paul Foster

Nelson George
Michael Isikoff
Donald James
Harry Levine
Dan Lungren

Melle Mel
Betty Moore
Ethan Nadelmann

Richard Price
Raekwon
Freeway Ricky Ross

RZA
Malik Spellman
Robert Stutman

Ahmir-Khalib Thompson
Terry Williams
Corene Wilson

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