BEATS, RHYMES & PEACE
Apr 1, 2005 12:00 PM
Producer and director Joslyn Rose Lyons' documentary Soundz of Spirit (released on DVD by Jog
The theme of the documentary centers on positivity, creativity and the spirituality of hip-hop culture. Also revealed is the finer point that the hip-hop community has the power to influence government policy makers. “CNN inspires me,” KRS-One says in the film. “C-SPAN inspires me. I watch C-SPAN; rhymes start coming to my head, like, ‘Ahhhh! You're lying! I know he's lying! Let me write this down.’” Meanwhile, Kweli expresses that although hip-hop is important, it's not something to be idolized. “It's a mistake to elevate hip-hop to a level that's more than life,” he says. “Sometimes, people love it to the point where they're not taking care of themselves because they spend so much time loving hip-hop. It can't be that because, then, it becomes something that's dangerous.”
Although the DVD — which is accompanied by a 14-song soundtrack with songs by Cee-Lo, Dilated Peoples, Blackalicious, Goapele and others — shows the various facets of the hip-hop culture (including DJs, MCs, b-boys and graffiti art), it also reveals a broader scope and spirituality. “Rap is something we do; hip-hop is something we live,” KRS-One says. “I believe that rap music is the product I create. But hip-hop is who I am, so I could never sell hip-hop.” For more, visit www.soundzofspirit.com.
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