In a nation that's stripped arts instruction from the public schools, the Hip Hop Project seems like a godsend.
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05/10/07
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The Hip Hop Project (2007)
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Reviews Counted:31
Fresh:18
Rotten:13
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Director Matt Ruskin's enthusiasm for the project is readily apparent, but his film is unfocused, meandering, and frustrating to watch.
Theatrical Release:May 11, 2007 Limited
Synopsis: From Executive Producers Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, THE HIP HOP PROJECT is the compelling story of Kazi, a formerly homeless teenager who inspired a group of New York City teens to transform... [More]
Starring: Doug E. Fresh, Russell Simmons, Bruce Willis
Director: Matt Ruskin, Scott K. Rosenberg
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Reviews for The Hip Hop Project
Net profits from the theatrical release of The Hip Hop Project will be donated to youth organizations, so you can feel doubly good about attending this modestly moving tribute to a small but significant kind of inner-city success.
05/11/07
Its most compelling message is about the importance and power of community.
05/11/07
[A] powerful and, if we're lucky, influential documentary.
09/18/07
Though burdened by a need to be uplifting, this commendable docu offers a slick yet affecting look at some aspiring inner-city youngsters, motivated by a charismatic teacher to find their voices figuratively and literally.
04/30/07
As a simple story of inspiration, The Hip Hop Project fulfills its objectives.
05/09/07
Even if you don't particulary care for rap, The Hip Hop Project may persuade you that there's something to be said for it, after all.
05/23/07
The most impressive accomplishment of Project is not the student-made album, but that when Kazi says cheesy things like 'This is healing through hip-hop,' you actually believe him.
05/08/07
This is a story you’ve heard before: Inner-city kids falling to drugs/crime/pregnancy are saved by the power of music/dance/art. Don’t let that premise dissuade you from checking out this documentary.
05/10/07
The live performances sizzle. Expect genuine passion behind the music, even when you wonder, as an MTV interviewer does during the film, whether these kids are that much more captivating than a million other hip-hop hopefuls.
05/11/07
With 100% of the profits going to non-profit charities devoted to youth, The Hip Hop Project might be the first totally tax deductible movie.
05/08/07
The story is compelling enough that even glib phrases like 'healing through hip-hop' can't drag it down.
05/11/07
Will the music of The Hip Hop Project album change your life? Likely, no. Did the process of making it change the lives of those involved in its creation? Undoubtedly. And that, perhaps, is inspiration enough.
05/11/07
The film works best when it pays specific attention to how hard it is to write a rhyme worth hearing.
05/10/07
Top CriticDespite a jumpy narrative, the film works because Kazi speaks to the kids on their level but from a slight elevation, and the honesty and raw emotion he draws out of them come through.
05/10/07
The commercial pressure that is often brought to bear on rappers to be scurrilous and offensive. This project, which was produced by Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, shows that there is another way.
05/10/07
First-time director Matt Ruskin is a skilled documentarian; he releases information gradually so the narrative develops in an organic fashion that is consistently engaging.
05/11/07
a terrific documentary about a program that aims not only to create new artists but also to teach them valuable lessons in life.
05/07/07
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05/19/07
There is some inspired camera work during some of the performance sequences, but none of the performances themselves stick. It's a shame when a film about the power of music doesn't contain one memorable song.
05/11/07
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