Stuff You Gotta Watch: Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap
There have been plenty of documentaries about hip-hop, but few that focus on the actual art behind it. That changed with Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, a 2012 documentary that celebrates the essence, skill, and mastery of hip-hop in a respectful and reverential manner. Conducting the entire operation is Ice-T, who serves as director, executive producer, and interviewer in this insightful journey through the idiosyncrasies of writing and performing rap verses.
As he discusses the particularities of the creative process with some of the heavyweights of the genre (Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mos Def, Ice Cube, Raekwon, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and many more), Ice-T travels "from the South Bronx all the way to the West Coast" on a quest for a better understanding of the craft. The result is a series of informal talks and impromptu performances set everywhere from home studios to restaurants, street corners, record stores, and even poolsides.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.