Style Wars (1983)

[WinslowLeach]

This is a classic documentary about the graffiti artists/hip hop culture of the early 80s. Its being released in August on a special 2 disc edition. If you love old school hip hop or just like documentarties about pop culture, def give it a watch.

"If you want to know what hip hop is really all about, see the film STYLE WARS" - KRS ONE

[docfalken]

Man, I've never been able to appreciate what KRS-ONE does. This "thinking man's rapper" had his chance with me but he couldn't put it all together. Same thing with Common or Mos Def.

I would say that Kanye Cheddah is the guy who is living up to the potential of a thinking rapper. He's got the mind, the needed left field thinking (sans the Eminem innuendos), and some of the best beats this side of Timbaland and Swizz.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

KRS once said that crack is worse than red meat cause it had more chemicals in it.
But c'mon Doc I know his solo stuff post 92' of so are weak, but holy shit did he tear it up with Boogie Down! "Why is that?" "My philosophy" "You must learn" "South Bronx" "The Bridge is Over"...classics baby.

And while were on this, what is the definition of "old school"? How long should it go back? I go 15 years (it's not like rock, where you can trace it back to mid 50's, or if you link the blues in with rock ,shit, back to the 20's). That's right, 1990. So we've got Ultramagnetic MCs "Critcal Beatdown", Run DMC, Stetsasonic, Eric B. and Rakim, and tons of others.
Bring it, OLD SCHOOL BABY! BROOKLYN! STRONG ISLAND!!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

and "Style Wars" is awesome. Great defense of the art of graffiti, the battles between different Bombers, the actual improvement that a select few artists made upon the subways of NYC. Also see Jonathma Lethems "Fortress of Solitude" for a fictional account of young kids and "tagging".
and ya gotta give it up for "Wild Style" as well. Until 8 Mile, best hip-hop film ever made. Can't wait for "Hustle and Flow".

And one of my screenplay ideas is based on the real life of the best hip-hop artist working today....MF DOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
seriously though, his life would make a pretty fascinating movie. Plus he wears a mask, has more aliases than Jennifer Garner (but ya gotta give it up to Kool Keith for starting that fad), and he's the "illest villian". Can't argue that, jack!

[docfalken]

Saw him at SXSW a year ago and he blew up Emos (the club we were at). I like him and his flow but seeing him in person reminded me of a focused Biz Markie. And I really love Biz Markie.

I'm not sure when Old School officially starts. I was chatting with Quint last night and he mentioned keeping something Old School and it was only 11 months ago, so maybe there isn't really a time assigned to it. Maybe more of an echo of time.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I was wondering if any of you guys go/went to that fabulous extravaganza that is SouthbySouthwest.

Did you see the Hold Steady or LCD Soundsystem or M.I.A? They've each swung by the Bay Area recently and all put on killer shows.

And the Biz? I've heard he's got one of the sickest record collections around. Don't know if MF did any of his Victor Vaughn stuff but "Vaudeville Villain" is one great album. As is "Take Me to Your Leader" under the name King Geedorah.

[WinslowLeach]

KRS once said that crack is worse than red meat cause it had more chemicals in it.
But c'mon Doc I know his solo stuff post 92' of so are weak, but holy shit did he tear it up with Boogie Down! "Why is that?" "My philosophy" "You must learn" "South Bronx" "The Bridge is Over"...classics baby.

And while were on this, what is the definition of "old school"? How long should it go back? I go 15 years (it's not like rock, where you can trace it back to mid 50's, or if you link the blues in with rock ,shit, back to the 20's). That's right, 1990. So we've got Ultramagnetic MCs "Critcal Beatdown", Run DMC, Stetsasonic, Eric B. and Rakim, and tons of others.
Bring it, OLD SCHOOL BABY! BROOKLYN! STRONG ISLAND!!

I always figured Old School hip hop was like from the late 70s up to the early 90s. From groups like Afrikka Bambaata, The Furious Five, The Treacherous Three, Cold Crush Brothers up to Public Enemy, De La Soul, 2 Live Crew, Dana Dane. etc

[WinslowLeach]

and "Style Wars" is awesome. Great defense of the art of graffiti, the battles between different Bombers, the actual improvement that a select few artists made upon the subways of NYC. Also see Jonathma Lethems "Fortress of Solitude" for a fictional account of young kids and "tagging".
and ya gotta give it up for "Wild Style" as well. Until 8 Mile, best hip-hop film ever made. Can't wait for "Hustle and Flow".

I gotta also mention a few other hip hop genre films I really loved growing up: Beat Street, Krush Groove and Tougher Than Leather.

I'm def interested in seeing Hustle and Flow too.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

"Scratch" (not exactly old, but...) as well. It's got some flaws (how could they not have shown RZA, or Prince Paul at least once!). But that DJ battle at Q-Bert's place...worth it for that alone. Shadow tears up that ending.

The Cold Crush Brothers...I've been able to find a couple of tracks ("Cold Crush" "The Bronx" "Fresh, Wild, Fly and Bold" being the highlights). Can you recommend any more?

I just find it hard to label De La old school (although even by my arbitrary 15yrs=old school puts "3 Ft. High and Rising" and "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back")...I was in high school when 3 Ft. and "De La Soul is Dead" came out (and that's one of the most underappreciated hip-hop classics of all time) and I just don't like being old. Guess when you debate that subject it does make you old though. Damn.

[WinslowLeach]

"Scratch" (not exactly old, but...) as well. It's got some flaws (how could they not have shown RZA, or Prince Paul at least once!). But that DJ battle at Q-Bert's place...worth it for that alone. Shadow tears up that ending.

The Cold Crush Brothers...I've been able to find a couple of tracks ("Cold Crush" "The Bronx" "Fresh, Wild, Fly and Bold" being the highlights). Can you recommend any more?

I just find it hard to label De La old school (although even by my arbitrary 15yrs=old school puts "3 Ft. High and Rising" and "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back")...I was in high school when 3 Ft. and "De La Soul is Dead" came out (and that's one of the most underappreciated hip-hop classics of all time) and I just don't like being old. Guess when you debate that subject it does make you old though. Damn.

I totally forgot about Scratch and also speaking of DJ movies, how could we forget JUICE! That was another one I really dug when it came out. Really good sndtrack too.

The Cold Crush Brothers, I havent heard much of their music except for the songs you mentioned.

I know what youre saying about De La Soul. I guess its kind of tough to know exactly where old school stopped and where new school began. Maybe it started with: Leaders Of The New School!

[docfalken]

While more of a concert film than anything else, I really enjoyed "Fade to Black" with Jigga himself. The stuff with Timbaland behind the scenes of the creation process was really nice to see.

[docfalken]

My eyes!!! Winslow!! My eyes!!

[so sorry]

I have to chime in and say that Juice was awesome, but nothing can hold a candle to Breakin'. Pop and lock sucka!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

18 years old, opening night. I fit the the starting five and top bench players of my high school basketball team into my '77 Chevy Impala, head over to the "black" mall (yeah, Long Island might have been diverse, in my school I was a minority, but the cracker ass theaters around us didn't book it) where even in '92 they had metal detectors. Packed theater, I counted three crackers (including myself). Worth it just for the Eric B. & Rakim title track.

"Riverside, motherfucker."