The Hip Hop Project movie review

 

By: Jabari Oliver

“Formal education is highly institutionalized, bureaucratic, curriculum driven, and formally recognized with grades, diplomas, or certificates. Non-formal education is usually local and community based, such as those programs offered by museums, libraries, service clubs, religious and civic organizations; Mass Media is also classified as a non-formal delivery system. Informal learning is the spontaneous, unstructured learning that goes on daily in the home and neighborhood, behind the school and on the playing field, in the workplace, marketplace, library and museum, and through various mass media” (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgarter, 2007).

Hip Hop is a cultural movement that radiates a lifestyle through music. The Hip Hop Project documentary film, presented by Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah, is about a non-profit outreach organization that developed a program called The Hip Hop Project which was created for New York City teens in providing them with an outlet from the streets and an opportunity to follow their dreams in becoming rap recording artists. The movie follows Kazi, who was the director of The Hip Hop Project and also a rapper from the streets of Brooklyn who was formerly signed under Hip hop legend, Doug E. Fresh. The film shows the challenges Kazi faces in running the program, where he has to give constant moral support and motivation to teens that go through harsh life realities at early ages such as Princess, who had an abortion as a teenager and who’s father was sent to prison for selling drugs, and Cannon who faced homelessness because his mother died of cancer. The movie gave a great depiction of how Kazi was able to mentor the teens of The Hip Hop Project and relate to them from his own trials in growing up, with no parents. A cameo appearance by Hip Hop pioneer and mogul Russell Simmons, adds strength to the story’s plot when he and actor Bruce Willis donate a recording studio to the project after Kazi’s relentless pursuit of finding investors.

The Hip Hop Project DVD is an exclusive production that gives a new perspective of how music can provide hope and healing. Within the movie Russell Simmons stated that “Rap is a voice for voiceless people.” Overall The Hip Hop Project presented a powerful message and has the potential to influence the likes of a worldwide Hip Hop project educational franchise.