Style Wars: The Birth of Hip Hop | Black/Current |Black Current

[@calebscalzo]

Best documentary of all time in my opinion If you are going to be a part of hip-hop culture in any form or facet, you NEED to watch this documentary, and that’s not just my 2 cents, that’s facts

[@boilerroombob]

Amen

[@obihayve2304]

No, there's one with a breaker opening a newspaper at the end of his freeze... Like "oh, stocks are up" I can't remember what that was from but it dealt with the early hip-hop years in England/over seas There was this dope rapper with the raccoon hat

[@benitolazio8193]

Ok whigga

[@kd3446]

Graphite was going up before hip hop & the May be connected now but not in the past earl days…

[@DaveNiceNYC]

Being born and bred in uptown Manhattan (Rock Steady Park is directly behind my building), this documentary confused many people (mostly people that aren't from NYC), into thinking graffiti and hip hop went hand in hand. When the trains were already covered in paint and ink, the term hip hop wasn't even thought of or it had too small of an audience for it to be noticed. It was mostly rock, a little Motown and funk. The only disco they really had was groups like The Bee Gees and the closet thing to breaking was the dance called The Hustle. You can see it in the movie Saturday Night Fever. The trains were bombed with graffiti. But, hip hop wasn't even coined yet, prior to Saturday Night Fever, most people listened to rock....if you're a true New Yorker...you'd know the main radio station was 77 WABC on AM radio and you know they didn't play hip hop, it was mostly rock and the trains were Bombed! Take it to the bank. Still, a nice documentary, it just confused some people is all. Peace!

[@patkelly8309]

Koch was like, " You can't execute Graffiti Writer's...... sadly "

[@shogott]

Seeing this documentary in the summer between 6th and 7th grade fuckin changed my life forever. From here to fame!

[@davem4423]

Great to watch this 40 years later & at the age of 50 i'm in awe of these guys , just expressing themselves in an era that opressed & crushed anyone 'outside the norm' . If this stuff was in a gallery in london it would be praised & sell for mega money

[@benitolazio8193]

"....an era that opressed & crushed anyone 'outside the norm' " Garbage.

[@heffo96]

It actually is! Beyond the Streets Exhibition is in the Saatchi Gallery in London this month, Seen himself was there along with a bunch of other writers. Check it out before its gone!

[@davem4423]

Fantastic! Thanks for the update, much appreciated

[@EVAASIVEOne]

@@benitolazio8193 Ight bean eato

[@jesussavesnyc]

I met 70% of people in this documentary...im blessed & grateful to God to be a New Yorker born & raised here...im 50 years old & this has brang me back so much memories & it has took me back to my child hood days in the early 80's

[@juicepackrevenge]

Case2 was wayyyyyy ahead of everyone in his time. Butch was heat too. Goddamn man.

[@clever3383]

The style of letters are wild!

[@anthonybrown3481]

The friendship that Dez and Trap have is the kind that you get only once in life. If you are lucky.

[@MattFaris]

An absolute classic that's revisited every few months. What a time that must have been to be part of the scene!

[@DaveNiceNYC]

@DaveNiceNYC Being born and bred in uptown Manhattan (Rock Steady Park is directly behind my building), this documentary confused many people (mostly people that aren't from NYC), into thinking graffiti and hip hop went hand in hand. When the trains were already covered in paint and ink, the term hip hop wasn't even thought of or it had too small of an audience for it to be noticed. It was mostly rock, a little Motown and funk. The only disco they really had was groups like The Bee Gees and the closet thing to breaking was the dance called The Hustle. You can see it in the movie Saturday Night Fever. The trains were bombed with graffiti. But, hip hop wasn't even coined yet, prior to Saturday Night Fever, most people listened to rock....if you're a true New Yorker...you'd know the main radio station was 77 WABC on AM radio and you know they didn't play hip hop, it was mostly rock and the trains were Bombed! Take it to the bank. Still, a nice documentary, it just confused some people is all. Peace!

[@Babyboo186]

28:50 - KASE referencing Frank Frazetta, these guys were so in tune with the art

[@patkelly8309]

I really wish I could have experienced NYC in the early 80s. Different world.

[@JoePlatt1]

And the 90s too

[@amnesh]

It was beautiful before crack showed up!

[@Misatospistol]

R.I.P to any of these people who might no longer be here. We’ll carry on your passion. Graff will never die!!!

[@BOMBER_GBF_DBL_SUK_FBI]

Changed my life over night …

[@jeromeharris2218]

I grew up 233rd & white Plains rd... ( I remember Cap... and I remember the crew called " Sin - Sin " > two deaf twin Puerto Rican brothers) # I was born 1973

[@adamsal9969]

Still one of the best made documentary. The different perspectives presented. Trying to objectively establish what graff is. What it means to people from completely different walks of life. It portrays a very interesting moment in time in the best way possible. So many interesting and exceptional individuals. Such influence all over the world. The soundtrack is great too! Let's just celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film. A thousand words still have some hoodies left :)

[@jmel1328]

5:06 Infamous convo in the Intro to "Respiration" BlackStar. One of the best hip-hop songs ever.

[@sybergaus]

Escuchala la Musica respirando

[@Sixteentwennynine]

Timeless place in history, art is LIFE

[@unkop4847]

This video is the reason I love hip hop . I miss this era

[@sonsofthetribe]

Wild Style, Style Wars, Beat Street the Hip hop Trinity.

[@anamnese-i9t]

Thx for uploading this masterpiece! I still have the OG book!

[@SHARPEYE1]

Damnnnnnnnn

[@RAME716]

AMAZING DEZ WAS KAY SLAY RIP 🙏

[@jessebullock4757]

this shit never ages

[@rickphilly1975]

This is my childhood. So. Anycoties. We ran those tunnels rooftops and trains yards. Been watching this doc since the 1980s

[@nobody-in5yp]

Seen it a 100times.over the yrs but man the Video is untouchable. No other graff vid/movie got the sauce like that.

[@bonemarrow250]

Wow - that’s pure hip hop culture right here, the essence of it… such a shame what it has become, just money and bitches.

[@janconner2087]

Hip Hop is always culture. Rap Music is always business. Just understand the difference and all will be well

[@JJX-pp8zh]

​@@janconner2087YA DIG?? UNDERGROUND V MAINSTREAM

[@daveysoart6318]

“I don’t even like that. People like that, they deserve to get everything crossed out. Forever.” 😂

[@thaizzz]

6min in and wow. The cinematography is amazing. This looks more like a feature film than a documentary (Helps that this is obviously film). Also, there's this game that came out recently and it's precisely about going "all city". I didn't know that was an actual thing they did until now. Good to know.

[@JJX-pp8zh]

WILD STYLE UNHINGED

[@kincamell]

"What'd you do last night?" "We did, umm, two whole cars It was me, Dez, and Mean Three, right? And on the first car, in small letters, it said 'All you see is' And then, you know, big, big, you know, some block silver letters That said 'crime in the city', right?" "It just took up the whole car?" "Yeah, yeah, it was a whole car and sh!t..." Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela, la ciudad respirando Escúchela... "The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis Shinin', like "Who on top of this?" People was tusslin', arguin' and bustlin' Gangstas of Gotham hardcore hustlin'"

[@MarvinMonroe]

We gotta start rockin some straight letters

[@BRILL-vb1jy]

"and he wrote 'WAR' next to Fat Albert" ... "Oh shit" ... "You can't never make up for that. That's never forgive action."

[@bubz3t136]

Fun fact: MIN's father was a chemist in Manhattan, and one of his regular customers was...Lucille Ball.

[@hawkrolla]

SPIT!! 😂

[@clever3383]

@@bubz3t136 The comediam? I from Brasil and don´t know much about this...

[@JJX-pp8zh]

​@@hawkrollaCAP. ZORO. SPIT. RUIN REAL ART

[@abrahammitchell5599]

I had this on VCR tape back in the day😊

[@deliamore9276]

I watched this documentary in hs when one of my most beloved teachers gave me the dvd to use it as evidence for a written piece I had to write for English 12 and it was basically like a “choose your own topic” kind of paper so I chose to talk about the 80s and now I do graff bombing 😭

[@jamalydude]

Hip hop and graffiti are mutually exclusive. The whole graffiti is one of the elements of hip hop argument is bunk. Graf came first. Graf intertwined due to its urban nature with hip hop but they are mutually exclusive. Don’t get it twisted

[@5446-r3t]

Somehow I got a hold of a copy of this at school and immediately started writing on everything!

[@charliethomson8819]

Absolutely timeless, great quality. I had to pick this up on blu Ray when it was released. When visiting new York now is there anywhere on this documentary that you can visit that would still be there. Stations, yards etc ?

[@ICHBINIMUN]

this thing changed my life💯

[@gaffle-411]

33:54… that uprock was iLL! 🔥 54:22… dope footwork!

[@RayLopez-jv7nn]

Art galleries on wheels for everyone to see

[@JJX-pp8zh]

LOTTA WORK IS IN STILL GALLERIES ALSO•••• RECOGNIZED THNX 2: FAB5 BASQUIAT(RIP) JAYZ || ODD THAT ITS VERY LIL FOCUS ON ART STUDENTS WHO BOMB ON THE REG

[@Reaper1914a2]

I never seen this before until now

[@finnmcginn9931]

New York was such a dump back then, visiting it as a kid I was in awe of it.

[@Budsport_TV]

Yaooo. A dude who used to run the railways was named: Dick Ravage Fuck that’s a wild name 😂 1:00:11

[@obihayve2304]

I hear samples used by Mellow man Ace, funkdoobiest, mc lyte, glasser, ME, De La Soul

[@paulshaw2013]

00:06:49 King Tito's Gloves by Deadly Avenger uses that scene to great effect.

[@MrEnvy562]

Lol skemes mom is so funny bro

[@deliamore9276]

Right she was sick of his bullshit LMAO

[@MrEnvy562]

@@deliamore9276 😁😁

[@hawkrolla]

Very well spoken young fellow.

[@mikevega07]

U don't doodle when your on the the phone 😂

[@MarvinMonroe]

​@@mikevega07 yes you do doodle LMAO I've always loved that "do doodle"

[@maskedavenger2621]

This is the Bible right here.

[@thehunterofdeath2180]

The bible of hip hop rap 👍😎

[@Izannaziza]

The good ole days.

[@mikevega07]

Cap is the original spit from beat street

[@mikevega07]

Man I missed them days

[@Underhills]

Looks like the Spit character in BeatStreet (1984) was inspired by Cap in this doc.

[@jeromeharris2218]

I used a " pilot " marker... my tag name was " Memo "... # fun in the bronx

[@wssj2480]

I got 3 kids under 5 years old and they watch style wars not coco melon 😎

[@alejandroperezcostas5331]

Great dad

[@terrialfair4829]

Lol

[@ForeverTRUE2011]

Whatever pepper pig

[@nastynockinsonofficial9023]

Its crazy how hard skemes mom tried to make him sound stupid. Dudes speaking straight forward. Not using much lingo or secret words. Just facts about his passion. And apparently he sounds dumb 😂😅

[@tarronspencer5483]

Back then graffiti was male dominated, now its mostly women bombing trains, its right off the charts, big shout to Lady Pink ❤

[@JJX-pp8zh]

NOT IN PHILLY,,, MOSTLY MEN BOMBING BUT ALSO LOTTA ART STUDENTS LIVING XDOUBLE XLIVES

[@pjay6746]

32:47 Richard "Crazy Legs" Colón. He retired last year.

[@paulcreed-r2n]

Nothing but criminal damage, yep that is what i saw at 14 in UK & i wanted in as more fun than smashing windows for a chase & a beating off your dad when the police took you home lol. First thing i did was pinch all the cans out of our shed & then put them back empty after bombing my estates slam walls & subways alone as kids would grass you up in the mid 80's. Got caught tagging when i was 18 & it got kicked out of court but my card was marked even though they never found my black books & photos. Got to paint two nightclubs before i went down the SL1200's groove when illegal raves hit us in the face. Got a job at a tattoo studio, even tried art school for one year but got pulled back in by younger writers late 90's & packed in a couple of years ago as i can't run as fast now, but we have a legal wall now. My mate i painted with for over 20 years came knocking last week as he has finally stopped going to prison.................................Back to square one as it sure is a drug you cannot kick, i pinched this video out of the shop my mum worked at back in the day as i was a paper boy. Props to all writers round the world with that itch 🤫✍👊

[@p.c.n2285]

Yoooo nobody told me drake was a graffer back in the 80s shit and his mum was biggie too!

[@georgedmitrievich2660]

From here to fame!

[@cspro3music]

This is my LIFE !!!!!!!

[@this.e36]

Same

[@MOHAMED7astanak]

8:45 the Olympics were here! lol

[@daniesza]

Cornbread 1960 the bomb tho…..

[@SaneAndAble]

It must be SEEN to be believed

[@SHARPEYE1]

The train was the ultimate satisfaction as soon as they locked them down graffiti died

[@10z20]

lmfao best part 52:58 his mom bantering

[@mikevega07]

The kid from 25:10 reminds me of boondocks 😂

[@yowspisaac6113]

31:17 song?

[@vicdamone4084]

35:13 He said it was The Son of Sam with 44..😂NY Bars

[@amnesh]

After 50 years they finally RESPECT Breakdancing to put it in the Olympics 2024, it's going to be crazy especially if you been watching the Red Bull series!!!!

[@kincamell2]

Stellar

[@tarronspencer5483]

Should make a movie on Skeme ✊💯

[@memesy8254]

46:34 the bench

[@Eddy_Clarice_WayOfTheComb]

Word!

[@nathegotule284]

Stylewarzzz,year3000!!!! Bak2da,,future... Yeahaaaa Yeahaaa,,Yeahaaa,,,,, In,graff we trust!!!! In,graff we bomb!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑

[@Quiter19]

TK Kirkland was in this!!! Awesome! $!

[@spikerzombie]

14:00 what word is that?

[@L.m.CeeTee]

Cap was such a TOY. His style was Day 1 Amateur.

[@El-Torete-007]

Jeez, we really didn't care how we looked back then, as long as you color coordinate and took a shower.

[@pekay6351]

That shit is dope

[@graffiti_sport_club]

WHAT WHAT I LOVE GRAFFITI !!! THANK YO

[@firstofsly]

At least they were outside 🤷🏾‍♂️🤘🏾

[@CharlesBanks-m4d]

Skeleton dropping jewels!!!

[@braksuper]

Muy buena!

[@slyedominic]

RIP KAY SLAY

[@maxferver4902]

What song are they listening to at 8:28?

[@Hdpvr]

Ever find jt

[@styloop]

holy book of East Germany Hip hop Scene

[@xxfranknittyxx2270]

why rocksteady never have any brothas in they crew?

[@makeuthink2120]

They appear in this film: Frosty Freeze, Kippy Dee, Little Crazy Legs. There was also Ty Fly, Jimmy Dee, Norm Ski.

[@snaleman6999]

More of a Graff doc No?

[@WmJ-x7j]

This is real hip-hop. More about graffiti and dancing and style, and racially mixed. This is how it all began: just kids in the Bronx, kids in Brooklyn.

[@K.greenbanks]

❤❤❤❤❤👍🏾💭

[@Accuratetranslationservices]

I really appreciate Cap. The guy who just goes over everyone else's graffiti. He's got a real punk rock attitude. He is like a force of nature, a chaotic force that just rips across everyone's art. I love it. I don't do graffiti myself. I do think it looks cool though. But it also seems to have an overabundance of rules and etiquettes and BS... The supreme irony is all these guys standing around saying how dare someone deface what I did... lol... bro, you are defacing property. It is fair game to be defaced itself. They are all scheming and trying to come up with plans to end it just like the cops are for them. Cap is the true legend

[@JJX-pp8zh]

ZORO. CAP. SPIT. ALL UNTALENTED RUINING THE WORK OF TALENTED ARTISTS,,,

[@Accuratetranslationservices]

@@JJX-pp8zh I guess that's subjective whether he is skilled or not but I like that he is against the pretentiousness of "How dare anyone paint over my art" while doing illegal graffiti in the first place. It is fair game to go over anyone in graffiti with anything

[@Misatospistol]

Yep it’s a tough pill to swallow but that’s just how the cookie crumbles.

[@Dasblublo]

The woman at 37:17 I wonder what she is up to nowadays, if shes still alive

[@skil2134]

Who this after getting up?

[@illbeback7313]

Dopee

[@stevennarvaez9920]

It's more than paint..

[@mikevega07]

Ads didn't work 😂

[@jeromeharris2218]

Graffiti was the sign to the world that the rapture is now here ! Rap-ture = rap culture... ( Hip Hop / Rap ... has taken over the entire globe )... # respectfully... # I am the culture

[@jamalydude]

You’re sped my man

[@GRINDETHIKSMIXTAPESHOW]

in 2023 I wish I can pay 75 cents to get on the train lol

[@KeyDyer]

They get crossed out FOREVAAAA

[@ericc.1570]

He's on that Tranq

[@doctorcloverr]

24:53 I know this is in a song but I can’t put my finger on what song it is

[@pvj2234]

Trouble funk - pump me up Cash money had a great cut up of this song - scratching to the funk

[@doctorcloverr]

Ok

[@doctorcloverr]

It is in Graffiti on a high school wall by People under the stairs

[@pvj2234]

@@doctorcloverr too funny! I never caught it. I know the group, haven’t heard them in a minute, so I went back “get loose, get loose” Haha! Good catch! Edit: that’s Kase’s voice, we lived in the same building for a little bit.

[@beatsbyjiro8291]

"He wrote war next to Fat Albert"

[@fasterdays]

Graffiti is not a hip hop element, graffiti is it's own thing and has not depended on a music style to thrive. Associate graffiti with hip hop is nonsense.

[@DaveNiceNYC]

100% correct!

[@DaveNiceNYC]

Being born and bred in uptown Manhattan (Rock Steady Park is directly behind my building), this documentary confused many people (mostly people that aren't from NYC), into thinking graffiti and hip hop went hand in hand. When the trains were already covered in paint and ink, the term hip hop wasn't even thought of or it had too small of an audience for it to be noticed. It was mostly rock, a little Motown and funk. The only disco they really had was groups like The Bee Gees and the closet thing to breaking was the dance called The Hustle. You can see it in the movie Saturday Night Fever. The trains were bombed with graffiti. But, hip hop wasn't even coined yet, prior to Saturday Night Fever, most people listened to rock....if you're a true New Yorker...you'd know the main radio station was 77 WABC on AM radio and you know they didn't play hip hop, it was mostly rock and the trains were Bombed! Take it to the bank. Still, a nice documentary, it just confused some people is all. Peace!

[@spikerzombie]

40:24 lmao

[@marrcogoncalves]

Who's the "kid" at 23:25

[@darthvader7702]

MinOne

[@teradon8u]

Cap!!! The original tag-banger!!

[@skyjuiceification]

He rounded out pretty well in later years. just an ole jolly dude who is repentant of his toy past. that was his way of gaining entry into the street culture of the time. we drank and talked for hours.