Covering Media

Ice-T as seen in SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP, a film by Ice-T. Picture courtesy Indomina Media. All rights reserved.

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)

Opened: 06/15/2012 Limited

Trailer: Click for trailer

Websites: Home, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube

Genre: Music Documentary

Rated: R for for pervasive language including sexual references, and some drug content.

Synopsis

Ice-T takes us on an intimate journey into the heart and soul of hip-hop with the legends of rap music. This performance documentary goes beyond the stardom and the bling, to explore what goes on inside the minds, and erupts from the lips, of the grandmasters of rap.

Recognized as the godfather of Gangsta rap, Ice-T is granted unparalleled access to the personal lives of the masters of this artform that he credits for saving his life. Interspersed with the performer's insightful, touching, and often funny revelations are classic raps, freestyle rhymes, and never before heard a cappellas straight from the mouths of the creators. What emerges is a better understanding of, and a tribute to, an original American art form that brought poetry to a new generation.

About the Artists

AFRIKA BAMBAATAA

Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s.

Web site: http://www.zulunation.com/afrika.html

BIG DADDY KANE

Big Daddy Kane, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew.

Web site: OfficialBigDaddyKane.com

B-REAL

B-Real, is an American rapper of Cuban and Mexican heritage, and a film and TV actor. He is best known for being the lead rapper in hip hop group Cypress Hill.

Web site: Cypresshill.com, Breal.tv

BUN B

Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz).

Web site: Bunbonline.com

CHINO XL

Chino XL, is an American hip hop lyricist, battle rapper, and actor of Puerto Rican and African American descent.

Web site: Twitter - @chinoxl

CHUCK D

Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.

Web site: Publicenemy.com

COMMON

Common (previously Common Sense), is an American hip-hop artist and actor.

Web site: Thinkcommon.com

DANA DANE

Dana Dane, is an American hip hop recording artist known for performance of humorous lyrics (imitating a British accent) and for his fashion sense.

DJ PREMIER

DJ Premier (also known as Preem, Premo, or Primo for short), is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru.

Web site: Djpremier.org

DMC

Darryl "D.M.C." Matthews McDaniels is an American musician. He is one of the pioneers of hip hop culture and founding members of the hip hop group Run--D.M.C.

Web site: Rundmc.com

DOUG E. FRESH

Doug E. Fresh is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box.

Web site: Dougefresh.com

DR. DRE

Dr. Dre is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records.

Web site: Drdre.com

EMINEM

Eminem and by his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group, D12, to mainstream recognition.

Web site: Eminem.com

GRANDMASTER CAZ

Grandmaster Caz or Cassanova Fly is an American "Old Skool" rapper, MC, and DJ. He is a Board member of The Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture.

Web site: Coldcrushbrothers.com

ICE CUBE

Ice Cube, is an American hip-hop artist and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989 he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer, director, actor and producer in cinema.

Web site: Icecube.com

ICE-T

Ice-T is an American musician and actor. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and moved to LA when he was in the 7th grade. He was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays, the first hip-hop to carry an explicit content sticker.

Web site: Icet.com

IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE

Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics.

Web site: Immortal-technique

JOE BUDDEN

Joe Budden is an American rapper from Jersey City, New Jersey. Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and then moved to Jersey City.

Web site: Joebuddentv.com

KANYE WEST

Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint.

Web site: Kanyewest.com

KOOL KEITH

Kool Keith is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of horrorcore.

Web site: Twitter- @UltraMan7000

KRS ONE

KRS-One (an acronym for Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone) is an American rapper. At the 2008 BET Awards, KRS-One was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for all his work and effort towards the Stop the Violence Movement .

Web site: Krs-one.com

LORD FINESSE

Lord Finesse is a Hip hop artist and producer, from The Bronx, New York, best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. rap crew.

Web site: Twitter- @LordFinesseDITC

LORD JAMAR

Lord Jamar is an American emcee and actor. He is a member of the hip-hop group Brand Nubian, which formed in 1989.

Web site: Reverbnation.com/lordjamar

MARLEY MARL

Marley Marl is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.

Web site: Djmarleymarl.com

MC LYTE

MC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.

Web site: Officialmclyte.com

MELLE MEL

Grandmaster Mele Mel also known as Melle Mel, is an American hip-hop musician -- one of the pioneers of old school hip hop as lead rapper and main songwriter for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Web site: Grandmastermelemel.com

NAS

Nas is an American rapper, actor and songwriter. He is also the son of jazz musician Olu Dara. Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums since 1994, four of which topped the Billboard charts upon release.

Web site: NasirJones.com

Q-TIP

Q-Tip is an American entertainer from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest.

Web site: Qtiponline.com

RAEKWON

Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded numerous solo albums.

Web site: Raekwonchronicles.com

RAKIM

Rakim (or simply Ra), Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time.

Web site: Ericbnrakim.com

RAS KASS

Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is an former member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt, also a member of Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir.

Web site: About.me/raskass

REDMAN

Redman is an American MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with Method Man, including their starring roles in films and sitcoms.

Web site: Reggienoble.com

ROYCE DA 5'9"

Royce Da 5'9" is an American rapper. He is known for his longtime association with Eminem and for his solo career, recording primarily with Carlos "6 July" Broady and DJ Premier, as well as ghostwriting for the likes of Diddy and Dr. Dre.

Web site: Royceda59.bigcartel.com

RUN

Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run--D.M.C.. He is also a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run.

Web site: Twitter - @revrunwisdom

SALT

Salt-n-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl James ("Salt"), Sandra Denton ("Pepa") and Deidra Roper ("DJ Spinderella"), was one of the first all-female rap crews.

Web site: Saltnpepa.net

SNOOP DOGG

Snoop Dogg (formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable proteges.

Web site: Snoopdogg.com

TREACH

Treach is an American rapper and actor. He is best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.

Web site: Naughtybynature.com

WC

WC (pronounced Dub-C), is an American rapper and has released four solo albums. He is also well known for being a member of the rap supergroup Westside Connection.

Web site: Dubconline.com

XZIBIT

Xzibit is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride. Before hosting the show, he achieved fame in the West Coast hip-hop scene as a rapper.

Web site: Xzibit.com

YASIIN FORMERLY KNOWN AS MOS DEF

Mos Def is an American actor and MC, known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul.

Web site: Mosdef.com

KOOL MOE DEE

Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York. He was one of the first rappers to earn a Grammy Award and was the first rapper to perform at the Grammys.

Web site: www.myspace.com/therealkoolmodee