Who's in It: Chris "Kazi" Rolle, Christopher "Cannon" Mapp, Diana "Princess" Lemon, Bruce Willis, Russell Simmons, Doug E. Fresh, Sway
The Basics: This documentary follows a formerly homeless young New York City man, Kazi, as he begins and runs a community outreach program that encourages young people to write and perform music. Eventually they produce a collaborative album and get big-name backing from people like Willis, Simmons and Queen Latifah.
What's the Deal? I'll be honest here and admit that I like my hip-hop a little dirtier and nastier than the kind the folks in this movie make. So when I see the kids here being encouraged by Kazi to create heartfelt, meaningful songs instead of gangsta stuff about killing and hos, I can appreciate the importance of that. I'll just probably never go out of my way to listen to it if it's not part of an inspirational documentary.
What's Good About It: The stories of the individual kids themselves are compelling. Even if you're not a fan of hip-hop music at all, you'll want to see how their lives play out, especially that of Kazi's, whose sad, estranged relationship with his own neglectful mother is kind of heartbreaking and weird. I'm surprised she even signed a release, because she comes off as cold as a human being can get and still have blood in her veins.
Why Bruce Willis Is in This: Because he's from the streets. OK, yeah, that's a lie, obviously. I don't know why. But he puts up money for it, and it's a good cause, so he gets decent-guy points for that. Meanwhile, all the profits are being donated to groups that work with youth.
Who Should See It: Oprah. She hates hip-hop. Imagine what her money could do for a group like this.