Directed by Kevin Fitzgerald (aka DJ Organic), Produced by Henry-Alex Rubin (Murderball), and Produced and Edited by Paul Devlin.
“A rousing education in an art form that is too often misunderstood.”
– The New York Times
“This fascinating documentary offers a rare glimpse into communities of gifted street rhymers who challenge and support one another in inspiring, creative ways.”
– Jon Matsumoto, Variety
“Affectionate, wildly entertaining…Boasts a loose, spontaneous, free-flowing feel that’s perfectly suited to the sharp-witted improvisation and brash gamesmanship at its subject’s heart.”
– Nathan Rabin, The Onion
Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme explosively documents the world of improvisational hip-hop, providing an authentic look into the life, music, and history of this underground culture. Packed with rare and archival footage of some of the most amazing hip-hop MC’s ever to bless the mic!
From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop–the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously.
Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition. Shot over a period of more than seven years, it is already an underground cult film in the hip-hop world. The film systematically debunks the false image put out by record companies that hip-hop culture is violent or money-obsessed. Instead, it lets real hip-hop artists, known and unknown, weave their story out of a passionate mix of language, politics, and spirituality.