Loved the episodes so far. And while I'm usually not into pop 'song and dance dramas' (mass marketed to top 40 fans, etc), I've also been a fan of the 14 years or so of hip-hop (not rap).
So, are there any suggested documentaries of the early days of hip-hop? NOT films from that time, but actual 'talking heads' documentaries?
I honestly can't think of too many early hip-hop docs from the '80s, except for STYLE WARS (1983) which was the first doc to deal with graffiti artists (still haven't seen it yet.) The only other ones I can think of came in the '90's, like THE SHOW (1995) and RHYME AND REASON (1997) which are about rap (and talks with then-popular rappers themselves) really taking over the mainstream in that era. One really good doc that really focuses on the beginning of hip-hop from the point of views of those who were there in the beginning is THE FRESHEST KIDS (2002) in which members of the earliest breakdancing crews are interviewed, and it's got some great old and new footage of folks doing some incredible and awesome breakdancing moves in it. I'd definitely recommend that one.
WILD STYLE (1983) was actually the first real genuine hip-hop film, but it's not a documentary,though.
There's also PLANET B-BOY (2007) which shows how breakdancing got popular in other countries around the world, and how breakdancing crews from different countries (England,Japan,and others) come to America to compete against American crews and each other. There's also a doc about early Canadian hip-hop called MAKE SOME NOISE (1994) worth checking out, just for the different perspective on hip-hop it provides (and to show that Canadian rappers did actually exist before Drake,lol.) There have been more hip-hop documentaries made in the past decade, but those are the immediate ones I could think of. I have to admit, seeing THE GET DOWN has made me want to check out some of these other flicks I mentioned. Have fun checking 'em out!
Watch Planet Rock on YouTube. It talks about hip hop in the late '80s within the context of the crack epidemic of the '80s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zswrGZP7jUY
Wild Style
Rubble Kings
Fresh Dressed
Freestyle The Art of Rhyme
The Freshest Kids
Scratch
Some of thee arn't specifically about the beginning of hip hop but about specific origins of certain pillars within hip hop MCin'g DJing, etc
"Money's flowing, everything is fine; Got myself an Uzi and my brother a nine"
I don't know how I forgot these two recent docs---THE ART OF RAP, made by Ice-T--where famous rappers discuss how they developed their styles, and BEATS, RHYMES, AND LIFE---a documentary about the popular '90s rap group A Tribe Called Quest--both definitely worth watching.
shareThere is a really great docu series that just came out on Netflix called HIp Hop Evolution. The first part covers the beginning of hip hop..
"Money's flowing, everything is fine; Got myself an Uzi and my brother a nine"