OnTV: Hip-Hop, Up Close and Personal
Filmmaker Byron Hurt Drops the Dime on the Current Cult of Hip-Hop
As Black History Month draws to a close in the States, PBS presents yet another intriguing program exploring the vast and diverse manifestations of the black experience via its five-year-old Independent Lens documentary series. Terrence Howard hosts tonight’s 10pm* installment featuring the well-received 2006 Sundance entry Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, filmmaker Byron Hurt‘s honest look at the music genre and veritable social movement that he himself loves, hip-hop.
Taken aback by the rampant misogyny, homophobia, violence, and general negative posturing evident in popular rap music videos, Hurt took it upon himself to do more than just shake his head and hope for better days ahead. Instead, he became proactive about researching the facts and mythology that inform the genre in order to better understand why and how it evolved the way it has.
Filled with revealing interviews with knowledgeable industry artists and insiders, as well as insightful observations from outsiders, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes is Hurt’s contribution to modern American, if not global, history and one of its most recognizable, discussed, and alternatively celebrated and derided influences.
The first manifestation of hip-hop music was branded a fad and given a lifespan of mere years by detractors when it initially emerged full force back in 1979 with the first rap hit to achieve gold status, The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” Now, decades later, the movement is still going strong, which makes this timely documentary film even more relevant.
Other Good/New Stuff on TV Tonight
- The Agency—FASHION WEEK: America gets another modeling-related reality series to go along with The CW’s America’s Next Top Model and Oxygen’s The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, this time focused more on the often-not-so-beautiful realities of what the industry entails for both the pretty people others like to gawk at and those charged with making them even prettier for the gawkers. It’s a jungle out there, babe. [VH1/10:00]
- American Idol: In this special two-hour installment, the twelve male contestants deemed best thus far sing their little hearts out for the viewing public. [Fox/8:00]
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent—BROTHER’S KEEPER: Who has an Academy Award, two Emmys, a Grammy, *and* a Tony? Give up? None other than the mother of eerily brainy and just downright eerie NYPD Detective Robert Goren—or at least the multitalented artist who plays her for the second time in tonight’s episode, the one and only Rita Moreno. Whenever Moreno is on board, excellence is guaranteed. [NBC/9:00]
- Scarred: This new moronic show would be equally at home on basic cable’s Spike TV. Incorporating video footage found on the Internet and touted as the music (at least in years long gone by) channel’s first series to rely entirely on content provided by viewers—in other words, less work for them, but more work for featured individuals, and guess who gets all of the revenue—the reality program highlights dangerous accidents, events, and stunts that would presumably cause scars; thus, the title. —SIGH— I am so thrilled I didn’t grow up with this kind of senseless junk. My deepest sympathy goes to parents of teens and tots everywhere. [MTV/10:30]
*PBS times may vary—Check your local listings to verify them
All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Byron Hurt photo courtesy of Jemal Countess and WireImage.com
