Q Ball is a South Florida inner city native who has embraced Hip Hop culture ever since He first heard "Rapper's Delight" in 1979. His journey to live the culture was enhanced during the massive relocation boom of New Yorkers throughout the 80s which gave South Florida the nickname, "The 6th Borough." His enthusiasm lead him into the skills of Lyricism, Graff Writing, and Track Producing and now writes for Old School Scholar.
We are on a roll this week providing you with landmark Hip Hop movies and documentaries. We had Wild Style, Style Wars, and today we bring to you Beat Street! This is the movie where, in essence, Hollywood got it right. Although much of the graff writing and turntablism is extremely watered down, the b-boying and rapping was on point.
What is great about the movie are the b-boy battles by the New York City Breakers, the Rock Steady Crew, and the Magnificent Force. When these brothers are on the screen the movie electrifies! You can see the competitive spirit of b-boying with the dissing, the ill freezes, and the power moves, and no scene in Hip Hop movie history has ever outdone the candid realism of the infamous battle at the Roxy. If somebody asked me what is the most memorable moment in any Hip Hop film I would quickly say the Roxy b-boy battle!
The only two things I wished we got to see was real graff writing and not Disney looking bubble letters, and a real demonstration of turntablism as it was done in the early 1980s. Guy Davis, who played Double K, was as convincing as a DJ as Omar Epps was in Juice. They both sucked! Even him as an emcee at the finale looked uncomfortable. I thought the man had a hemorrhoid flare up. I especially hate the part when he shouts a cadence into the microphone, “It’s working! It’s working!”
Nah, Bruh. It ain’t working.
Other than these two big flaws Beat Street is dope! The performance with the Treacherous Three and Doug E. Fresh together was humorously classic, and the finale with Melle Mel’s Beat Street Breakdown rhyme was timeless! If you saw it you know what I’m saying. If you did not somebody needs to come over to your house and slap you…unless you watch it right now! After you watch it click the DVD image below and buy this movie for your Hip Hop library.
Beat Street: Best Hip Hop Movie in Hollywood
Q Ball
Q Ball is a South Florida inner city native who has embraced Hip Hop culture ever since He first heard "Rapper's Delight" in 1979. His journey to live the culture was enhanced during the massive relocation boom of New Yorkers throughout the 80s which gave South Florida the nickname, "The 6th Borough." His enthusiasm lead him into the skills of Lyricism, Graff Writing, and Track Producing and now writes for Old School Scholar.
We are on a roll this week providing you with landmark Hip Hop movies and documentaries. We had Wild Style, Style Wars, and today we bring to you Beat Street! This is the movie where, in essence, Hollywood got it right. Although much of the graff writing and turntablism is extremely watered down, the b-boying and rapping was on point.
Hands down!
What also makes this movie authentic are the legendary appearances throughout the story. Other than the b-boy crews, the pioneers we get to see are Kool Herc, DJ Jazzy Jay, The Treacherous Three, Doug E. Fresh, Lisa Lee, Sha Rock, Wanda Dee, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Scorpio, Cowboy, Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force. Without all of these appearances the movie would have fell short as a legitimate Hip Hop flick.
The only two things I wished we got to see was real graff writing and not Disney looking bubble letters, and a real demonstration of turntablism as it was done in the early 1980s. Guy Davis, who played Double K, was as convincing as a DJ as Omar Epps was in Juice. They both sucked! Even him as an emcee at the finale looked uncomfortable. I thought the man had a hemorrhoid flare up. I especially hate the part when he shouts a cadence into the microphone, “It’s working! It’s working!”
Nah, Bruh. It ain’t working.
Other than these two big flaws Beat Street is dope! The performance with the Treacherous Three and Doug E. Fresh together was humorously classic, and the finale with Melle Mel’s Beat Street Breakdown rhyme was timeless! If you saw it you know what I’m saying. If you did not somebody needs to come over to your house and slap you…unless you watch it right now! After you watch it click the DVD image below and buy this movie for your Hip Hop library.
Enjoy!
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