admin
22 December 2023
My opinion: as popular as hip-hop may be, or seem to be, it’s way underappreciated. Most of the kids I know who love it and listen to it don’t realize how fucking intelligent it can be. The Battle for L.A. is a little something that could help point that out.
Music video director Darren Doane assembles about an hour’s worth of footage. He follows a handful of Los Angeles-based underground MCs as they put their skills to the test, facing off between a DJ and the crowd, freestyling at each other, about each other. Yes, they make up the shit they say right there, on the spot. That, in and of itself, is amazing. I bet your favorite author couldn’t do that.
The Battle for L.A. interviews the young lyricists, explores the reasons behind their harmless rivalries, and captures the verbal showdowns in all their pure, raw intensity. It touches briefly on DJs and breakdancing crews who battle, but it’s so brief it seems unnecessary. The true stars here are those with the ability to spontaneously come up with clever ways to berate and belittle their opponents.
As a film-- the first in what is hoping to be an ongoing series, documenting this aspect of hip-hop’s expansive culture-- The Battle for L.A. is short, sweet, and to the point. Doane stands back and avoids letting style overshadow his subject. Occasionally, traces of his artistic style creep in, but never to the point of distracting the viewer from what’s going on. And more than anything, it gives some very hungry artists a chance to have their craft heard by more than just the local scene.
The Battle for L.A. is available on Redline Entertainment, and will hopefully do well enough to keep the series going. It goes on sale nationwide in January, but is currently available exclusively at Best Buy. Run out and get it, fools!
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH DARREN HERE.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE.
Music video director Darren Doane assembles about an hour’s worth of footage. He follows a handful of Los Angeles-based underground MCs as they put their skills to the test, facing off between a DJ and the crowd, freestyling at each other, about each other. Yes, they make up the shit they say right there, on the spot. That, in and of itself, is amazing. I bet your favorite author couldn’t do that.
The Battle for L.A. interviews the young lyricists, explores the reasons behind their harmless rivalries, and captures the verbal showdowns in all their pure, raw intensity. It touches briefly on DJs and breakdancing crews who battle, but it’s so brief it seems unnecessary. The true stars here are those with the ability to spontaneously come up with clever ways to berate and belittle their opponents.
As a film-- the first in what is hoping to be an ongoing series, documenting this aspect of hip-hop’s expansive culture-- The Battle for L.A. is short, sweet, and to the point. Doane stands back and avoids letting style overshadow his subject. Occasionally, traces of his artistic style creep in, but never to the point of distracting the viewer from what’s going on. And more than anything, it gives some very hungry artists a chance to have their craft heard by more than just the local scene.
The Battle for L.A. is available on Redline Entertainment, and will hopefully do well enough to keep the series going. It goes on sale nationwide in January, but is currently available exclusively at Best Buy. Run out and get it, fools!
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH DARREN HERE.
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE.
artid
1828
Old Image
6_4_battleforla.jpg
issue
vol 6 - issue 04 (dec 2003)
section
entertainmental