History

New Documentary – Hip Hop: The Furious Force of Rhymes (Full Film)

Culture, Films, Music & Hip-Hop

Hip Hop: The Furious Force of Rhymes 

The Grammy Nominated French ‘Afropean’ Hip Hop/Rhythm and Blues Group – Les Nubians

Hip Hop, like the Internet, is a potent tool for education and empowerment. I happen to be an enthusiast of both of these amazing tools.  While on the Internet the other day, I had the fortune of finding this incredible free documentary by the Smithsonian Channel, Hip Hop: The Furious Force of Rhymes. This film directed by Joshua Atesh Litle, embedded below, explores Hip Hop’s history and role as an instrument for empowerment and a voice for marginalized communities worldwide. This documentary begins by examining the origins of the Hip Hop universe with Busy Bee Starski and Grandmaster Caz. The film  moves from the Bronx in the late 1970s and follows the diffusion of this amazing cultural movement through time and space to cities in Europe, the Middle East, South America and Africa. This is not your typical Hip Hop documentary focusing on the meteoric rise of this phenomenon in terms of commercial viability. Instead, this documentary focuses on the ability of Hip Hop to connect people to the struggles of others in similar struggles, irrespective of their nationality, language, ethnicity or religion. It is this ability of Hip Hop, to speak to and for the voiceless, that makes it such a powerful asset for humanity. This film contains poignant and insightful commentary by the legendary Hip Hop journalist and activist, Davey D and others. This film undoubtedly shows the true power and potential of Hip Hop. It is an honor to share this film with you and I hope it uplifts and inspires you as much as it did me. It is up to us to tell the true story of Hip Hop and shape the future of our world! Let your voice be heard, leave a comment and share this with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers!

Related articles

Europe’s African and Islamic History

Africa, African, Culture, Education, Europe, European, Films, History

Europe’s African and Islamic History

Many African Americans grow up in the United States and other countries throughout the African Diaspora lacking much knowledge about the history of Africa and the great contributions African people have made to civilization and Western civilization especially.

It seems as if we are taught that Africans were brought to the New World from a Dark Continent that was devoid of the light of knowledge, advanced culture and civilization. We are made to believe that illiteracy and primitiveness are essentially African concepts.

The following well produced and credible documentaries serve to debunk these myths and begin to shed light on the impact that  the African and Islamic civilizations of West and North Africa had on Europe. This influence was most pronounced in Islamic Spain or Al-Andalusia, which lasted for a period of over 700 years until 1492. Al-Andalusia  as the following films document, brought advanced sciences and knowledge to Europe via Spain that changed the course of European and world history .

Learning about the influence Africa and the Islamic world had on Europe and the European Renaissance, should create a sense of pride and appreciation among people of African descent or Islamic faith, while also teaching us about the importance of tolerance and mutuality. I hope that these films will enhance your understanding of the history of Europe and highlight that the proliferation of knowledge, civilization and culture was never a one way street leading out of Europe.

These films in light of the current clamorings in Europe against the rising immigrant populations, mainly from African and Islamic nations, will hopefully serve to instruct people on how much can be accomplished when we respect diversity and bring the best of our cultures to bear for the common good of man.

Related articles