Freestyle - The Art of Rhyme |  | Director: Kevin Fitzgerald
Actors: Tupac Shakur, Mos Def, Biggie Smalls
Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $13.99
as of 2/9/2010 13:49 EST details
You Save: $5.99 (30%)
New (22) Used (11) from $8.95
Seller: overman2000
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 39451
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 75 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 3107
UPC: 660200310721
EAN: 0660200310721
ASIN: B0007Q6S44
Theatrical Release Date: 2000
Release Date: May 24, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This provides an explosive inside look into the creative framework of hip-hop culture & the improvisational art of freestyle - where mcs express themselves by creating rhymes in the moment. Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 05/24/2005 Run time: 60 minutes
Amazon.com
Freestyle makes for the ideal double-bill with Scratch, Doug Pray's fine film about the art of the DJ. Kevin Fitzgerald looks instead at the MC, specifically those who make their rhymes up on the spot, like a slam poet or jazz vocalist adding new flavor to an old standard. Unlike Scratch or The Freshest Kids, an exploration of b-boy culture, Freestyle doesn't explain or trace the history of a form as much as celebrate it. In other words, the focus is more on the practitioners of the present, despite some valuable commentary from Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan of the legendary Last Poets, on circles and battles, and some inspiring footage of a 17-year-old Biggie Smalls (the Notorious B.I.G.) cutting loose in Bed-Stuy. Other notable participants include Common, Black Thought (the Roots) Chali Tuna (Jurassic 5), Mikah 9 (Freestyle Fellowship), and Mos Def (Black Star). --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
 dont expect too much November 14, 2008
ginsu (tv land)
THis video is called FREESTYLE. But the majority of the freestyle footage is sub par.
With a few obvious exceptions, most of the flows are boring. I think I was impressed by lyrical content once? the rest were obviously lyrics (a lot of freestylers try to sneak lyrics) or mediocre.
I wish there was more footage of goodlife cyphers. I wish there was more footage of Mos Def and Freestyle Fellowship. I wish the footage of Pharoh Monch was quality - rather than 30 seconds of audience footage at a random show.
Theres also commentary about the philosophy of freestyling. its unimpressive, cliche, obvious commentary.
theres a lot of time given to some beef between some freestylers at lyricist lounge. i cant even remember their names. one of the guy brags about memorizing the entire dictionary, but raps with a 4th graders active vocab. the other guy used prepared lyrics to beat the first guy in a freestyle battle. both had thick voices but boring flows.
i was so bored i turned it off after an hour(?). didnt see the biggie or tupac footage. some one gave me this DVD as a gift - so I might watch it later. but im in no big hurry.
Director = 4 | Content = 1 | Music = 4 April 9, 2008
R. Omar (Sydney, Australia)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
It's my fault really...
I was hoping for a documentary on Lyricism + MC'ing.
THIS IS actually A DOCUMENTARY ON "FREESTYL'ing".
I wish I had read an informative review before purchasing this DVD!
The Bad :
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"i'm trying to go to the point where i'm stopping people from rapping;
they wanna change career fields, they wanna do other things
that's where i'm trying to go."
"some punk" - 08mins.01seconds
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How pretencious is that?
As a documentary, "freestyle" it is PRETTTY GOOD. Pretty..Pretty Good.
*insert larrydavid*
BUT there is only 10mins of worthy content.
um. where is :
- Del ???
- KRS ONE !?!?!?!?!
- RAKIM !?!?!?!?
- MosDef (an actual interview would be good)
- Common
- EMINEM
- Kool Keith
- DE LA FREAKIN SOUL???!?!!?
- TRIBE
- LAUREN HILL ???
- WYCLEF ????
- RED MAN
- METHOD MAN????
- A - N - Y FREAKIN B - O - D - Y
They could have spoken to DJ's about the art of FREESTYLE.
*sigh*
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The Good :
Random Commentary by LAST POETS = AMAZINGLY INFORMATIVE!
otherwize = PHAT! (8:14)
bahamadia = PHAT! (15:54)
!!! -- CHAPTER 5 - 360 Degrees = PHAAAAAAAT!
!!! --
!!! -- + pharaohmonch
CHAPTER 6 - CYPHER
(23:47 - 24:50)
!!!!! - CHAPTER 9 - HEALING
"..probably don't realise that hiphop was born as a need to get rid of (to excervise) the rage.." (42:10)
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please feel free to add to this...
 Well researched, comprehensive documentary on an aspect of Hip-Hop culture December 16, 2007
Boaty McGee
There are very few documentaries that compare to this one, and certainly one of the two (the other being 5 Sides of a Coin) that truley go indept into the art and purpose of this aspect in hip hop culture, remain visually and audio stimulating and keep all the excess jargon and rubbish out.
Interviews with some of Hip Hops most prolific and controversial members, both in mainstream and street/underground infamy show the more innocent, raw side of freestyling which is seldom seen. Moments such as interviews with supernatural, Otherwise and Craig G are examples of this.
I would probably suggest this for school teachers and parents who didnt get the chance to really grow up with hip hop or rap as such a pragmatic part of their lives and see where the roots of it come from, and to be able to distinguish the difference between freestyling in its truest form, and the commercial bullsh*it that comes out of corporate record labels.
Check the other doco i've listed for an overall view of hip hop as a culture, and not just simply a genre of music---> 5 Sides of a Coin
 hiphop at its best July 29, 2007
ken (usa)
a household item for all real hiphop fans.it has covered all the elements of hiphop to the core.it's truelly a fantastic classic dvd for all hiphop heads.
Wasn't dat great June 22, 2007
T. macedo (NY)
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
Diz dvd was alright not all dat great what realy saved it was scenes from blackthought from the roots rhymin about random thangz & the mosdef scene other then dat ? Freestyle was pretty boring. They focus 2 much on supernat insted of focusing on the better onez and why wasnt redman on this dvd ? The vets of this like some one said befo kool k, tribe,REDMAN,kurupt, krs etc... Supernat is brilliant at wut he doez, dont get me wrong but he's not the best. Watch rhyme & reason , the mc, and scratch for better hip hop documentaries. The bahamadia scene & medusa scene were tight doe.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
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