Grandmaster! Cut Faster!

After enjoying Krush Groove a while ago, we decided to queue up Wild Style.This is from a slightly earlier period in hip-hop history (1983). It concentrates on tagging instead of rapping, but you still get low/no production values counteracted by letting entertainers play themselves.

Notorious graffiti writer Lee Quinones plays Zoro, a notorious graffiti writer. His (ex) girlfriend Rose is played by writer Pinky Fabara. She wants to integrate graffiti into the mainstream, hanging with the Union, doing wall pieces for money. Fab Five Freddy plays Phade, a hip-hop promoter who wants Zoro to go legit, make some money, at least give an interview to the reporter who is coming by. The reporter is played by Patti Astor, as a kind of low-rent Debbie Harry. She's reputedly an actress, but just as wooden as the rest of the crew of acting amateurs/hip-hop professionals.

Throughout we get real oldskool rapping from Cold Crush Brothers, Double Trouble, Fantastic Freaks, etc, as well as cutting by Grandmaster Flash, DJ AJ, etc and breakdancing by the Rock Steady Crew, etc. Also, soundtrack by Chris Stein of Blondie, and some Blondie in the background. Plus much, much more! It all ends up with a big concert.

So - not really a documentary, but close enough. Let's call it a fictionalized biography. Whatever you call it, if you like oldskool - watch it. After all, "Fab Five Freddy told us everything's fly"!