Hip-Hop hasn’t been the same since “Beyond Beats and Rhymes” aired at the Sundance film festival, and various other film festivals since then. Produced by Byron Hurt, the film divulges Hip-Hop, Masculinity and Manhood, and is airing on PBS tonight.
“I think the way you see manhood portrayed in Hip-Hop is deeply entrenched in American culture, not just Hip-Hop culture,” said Hurt, who is a self-proclaimed Hip-Hop-Head.
The film takes a unique perspective on age old issues and complaints within the Hip-Hop culture. It’s not simply a Hip-Hop bash fest, it also takes a look at society at large and how it has also had a huge impact on Hip-Hop culture today.
“What distinguishes hip hop from the rest of the culture is that hip hop is so blatant. Also, with hip hop you have a lot of young men who come from poverty, and other situations, that make this quest for hyper-masculinity seem much more essential,” said Hurt on why Hip-Hop possibly takes more flack than American culture as a whole.
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Appearances in the film include Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Eric Michael Dyson, Toni Blackman, Sarah Jones, Chuck D, etc. It was co-produced by Sabrina Schmidt Gordon and executive produced by famed McArthur Fellow, Stanley Nelson.
If you’re in the New York area, the film airs on PBS at 10pm, for all other areas, check your local listings.
