Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
| 14 April 2000 (USA)

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From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop--the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously. Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition. Shot over a period of more than seven years, it is already an underground cult film in the hip-hop world. The film systematically debunks the false image put out by record companies that hip-hop culture is violent or money-obsessed. Instead, it lets real hip-hop artists, known and unknown, weave their story out of a passionate mix of language, politics, and spirituality.

Reviews
SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
reverendtom This documentary had a lot of potential, but I feel that it is pretty weak. Most of the legendary freestyle footage shown in this film has been available for years in hip hop circles, so if you've already seen it (like the biggy street corner free) there really isn't a whole lot of reason to watch this movie. There are a lot of nobodies dropping weak freestyles in this film. If you've ever been in a real cypher you know that half the stuff in this film is garbage. You get some dope freestyles by Supernat and some others, but overall, this film is not the amazing, eye-opening opus that the blurbs on cover would have you believe. I guess if your just getting into hip hop there is some appeal in this movie, but if your a life long dedicated fan and participant, this film has very little to offer.
chndnnyk A few years ago, Chris Rock yelled "Im sick of having to defend hip hop." even though he said it a few years back, his words still echo loudly today. Much of the reason is that, sadly, there's not much out there in the mass media to defend hip hop. the genre holds less status than less innovative genres out there. and isn't even regarded as art. Americana, which uses rap as a marketing tool and extols its materialistic side, also ends up hurting artists who try to do more than just sell their products. We see the bling, but often miss the substance behind the bling. The end result is that, simply put, most people just don't get hip hop But wait, there is hope. There are a few things in the mass media that show the artistic side of hip hop. this film is one of those few gems. it responsibly shows the hidden brilliance of rap - the lyrics, the cadence, the competition, the art, the spirituality, the depth, the innovation, etc. this movie, although technically not the most fluid documentary in the world, shows great live footage that you wont find anywhere else. It honors the starving artists and displays the beauty of their talent. more importantly, the film achieves great tasks for the entire genre - it equates the underground with the popular, and it balances rap with the other genres that Americana holds dear… I cant get enough of this DVD. I'm glad its out there and i hope it adds fuel to a new trend of more cerebral depictions of hip hop
globalgal79 as a person fairly new to the world of hip hop, i found "freestyle" to be informative, entertaining and enlightening. the cinematography was captive and gave the viewer a sense of being present and intimate in settings we might not otherwise have had access to. it was quick paced and varied enough to keep us interested, but also did not gloss over moments or personalities - rather it led us into the world of free styling with a set of characters who were both charming and disconcerting; refined and raw. the film succeeded in giving its audience a chance to experience free styling in a way we otherwise may not be able to.
rupertrm Great film showcasing and explaining freestyling both to hip hop heads and a new audience. I could have sat there for hours more just watching footage of these amazing and talented people bustin out. If you get a chance then check it out.