This Is the Life (2008 film)
| This is the Life | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Ava DuVernay |
| Starring |
Freestyle Fellowship Medusa Pigeon John CVE Busdriver |
| Music by | Omid |
| Cinematography | Isaac Klotz |
| Edited by |
Spencer Averick Krishna Devine |
| Distributed by | Forward Movement |
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Release date
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Running time
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97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Freestyle Fellowship
Cut Chemist
Chali 2na
This is the Life is a 2008 documentary film directed by Ava DuVernay, which chronicles the alternative hip hop movement that flourished in 1990s Los Angeles and its legendary center, the Good Life Cafe.
Interviewees include Myka 9 and P.E.A.C.E. of Freestyle Fellowship, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5, Medusa, Abstract Rude, Pigeon John, 2Mex, Chillin Villain Empire, Busdriver and many others. The director Ava DuVernay, known at the time as Eve, was herself an MC at the Good Life open-mic as part of the group Figures of Speech.
The Good Life Health Food Centre's weekly open-mic night started in December 1989 on the corner of Crenshaw & Exposition. Promoted by B. Hall and her son R/KainBlaze with his friends The Mighty O-Roc and The Dynamic Flow, KNGR: The Underground Radio at the Good Life offered a workshop-like atmosphere for aspiring MCs, poets and musicians to hone their craft. On Thursday nights from 8-10pm, artists were allowed to perform one song. Some would perform written songs, and some would freestyle. When a performance was not up to par, the audience would call out "Please pass the mic!" and the emcee had to end the performance promptly. In addition, there was a strict policy that no cursing was allowed. B. Hall once explained, "Young people needed a place to go to develop their own art. The no-cussing policy wasn’t about us being uptight church people, it was about wanting the atmosphere of a serious arts workshop. Most of the crowd respected the rule, some said it made rapping more challenging, that it created more respect and brotherhood."
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