Hustlers Convention

Hip-hop has become one of the dominant currents in global pop music, but this feature-length music documentary argues that the pioneers of the form have received too little recognition. Here we see its roots in the late 1960s era of Black Power, and the ferociously political declamations of The Last Poets over simple hand-drum accompaniments. Indeed, the film's title comes from a legendary "lost" album by one of their members - Jalal Nuruddin - who recorded the vivid spoken-word street-life saga Hustlers Convention over a blaxploitation funk groove in 1973. Subsequent rights issues were to restrict its commercial availability, but it has seeped through the underground to influence later generations from Melle Mel to Public Enemy's Chuck D, who appear among an impressive array of key rap artist interviewees. The film does a major service in highlighting Nuruddin's achievements, and hearteningly shows him still performing today, greyer, somewhat embittered, but continuing to preach a relevant message of self-empowerment.