Mass Appeal

The untold story of the world’s longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists like Jay-Z, Nas and Mary J. Blige before they hit it big. Host Ralph McDaniels’ archives — amassed over nearly 40 years — reveal the show’s importance to numerous big-name musicians, as well as to the kids that grew up watching.

Ed Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his Sunday night variety show. This documentary spotlights the TV pioneer's legacy of equality.

The history of Hip-Hop / Urban fashion and its rise from southern cotton plantations to the gangs of 1970s in the South Bronx, to corporate America, and everywhere in-between. Supported by rich archival materials and in-depth interviews with individuals crucial to the evolution of a way of life--and the outsiders who studied and admired them – Fresh Dressed goes to the core of where style was born on the black and brown side of town.

A story about the journey of a Rapper who lives in Karachi.

Acclaimed director Sacha Jenkins shines a spotlight on the life and rhymes of the 'clown prince of hip-hop', Biz Markie, best known for his Top 40 hit, "Just a Friend." A who's who of legends like rappers Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh and actor/comedian Tracy Morgan share how Markie's playful approach to the genre made him a hip-hop icon and left an indelible mark in the world of music.

A celebratory exploration of the boisterous times of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that drew hundreds of thousands of people in the 80s and 90s, helping put Atlanta on the map culturally.

A smoke-filled journey across the lives and the careers of the groundbreaking, genre-defying Hip Hop group, Cypress Hill. Their unique sound, influenced by their Latin roots and West Coast upbringing, was built on a movement rooted in true authenticity: from cultivating the flower, to smoking it, to rapping about it, their influence is forever burned into the musical landscape of Hip Hop as they continue to stay relevant after 30 years.

An in-depth and provocative look at the 1992 Los Angeles riots exploring the roots of civil unrest in California and the relationship between African Americans and LAPD.

This documentary film examines the transformative power of lyrics in the world of hip-hop music. Through dynamic archival footage, in-depth interviews and excursions with artists like Nas, Tech9, J Cole, Rapsody and Anderson. Paak, the film explores the many dimensions that hip-hop poetics occupy.

This profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James captures the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellious soul, driven to share his talent with the world.

A focus on a year in the life of rapper Earl “DMX” Simmons as he is released from prison in early 2019 and attempts to rebuild his career in the music industry and reconnect with family and fans.

Slick Rick's "Victory" is a thrilling visual album that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Set in the heart of London, this gripping 25-minute film stars Idris Elba and Nas, bringing a cinematic twist to Slick Rick’s iconic storytelling. With stunning visuals and an intense, suspenseful plot, Victory blends rap and film in a way you’ve never seen before.

Future’s life on and off the stage comes into sharp focus in this revealing documentary. Director Marcus A. Clarke follows the East Atlanta rapper on the 2016 Purple Reign tour, capturing live performances including “Gucci Flip Flops” and “Mask Off” as well as rare downtime—shooting hoops with Young Thug, doting over his kids, and listening to “Digital Dash” playback in the studio with Drake. Guests like Organized Noize’s Rico Wade, DJ Khaled, Metro Boomin, Yo Gotti, and André 3000 speak on Future’s obsessive work ethic and unique rhyme style. But it’s Future talking candidly about formative life moments—selling drugs, getting shot, his grandfather’s passing—that demonstrate his passion and desire to stay on top.

Two decades after the album’s critically acclaimed release, hip-hop artist Nas teamed up with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to stage a symphonic rendition of “Illmatic,” one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history. Nas: Live From the Kennedy Center captures the energy and nostalgia of this collaborative performance.

De La Soul Is Not Dead is an ode to the act’s iconic 1991 studio album De La Soul Is Dead. The film documents the Long Island group’s rise to prominence and subsequent rise through the ranks of rap. Centered on De La Soul’s first four projects, De La Soul Is Not Dead is a study of the critically-acclaimed group’s most productive, significant period of creation.

Uncensored documentary about rap duo City Girls and their rise to fame.

Logic opens up about the struggles that have influenced his music and the happiness he found in his career after fighting off crippling anxiety.

A documentary short detailing the path of rapper G Herbo from Chicago's East Side "Terror Town" to a successful rap career, and back to the community he came from in order to inspire others to not lose faith despite their hardships.