BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
(USA 2011) **
Directed by Michael Rapaport

Whether you like hip hop or not, Michael Rapaport’s hip hop documentary, BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST is bound to either move or bore you, as he gets right down to the nitty gritty of the individuals of the group.

The group is called ‘A Tribe Called Quest’.  They are iconic pioneers in hip hop, with Jazz and Afrocentric rhymes.  They have released a total of 5 albums, three making gold.  Such is their talent and influence.  Director Rapaport’s film is a study of the individuals and the group.

Rapaport offers each member their personal say.  Phife is revealed with his medical (diabetes) problems, which affect the group’s performances.  Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jorobi White all speak to the camera including a few worthy cameos as Mary J. Bilge, the Jungle Brothers, and Busta Rhymes.  More performances should have been recorded on film, as when the group performs, the film really rocks.

Bu it is the group’s break-up that is Rapaport focus during the second half of the film.  He traces the differences, though never blaming anyone individual.  He shoots one moving scene when Q-Tip and Phife argue just before going on stage, each refusing to speak top each other.  Yet their come back concert in 2008 proves that the group has what it takes.

The differences of the 4 group members stayed right into the making of the film and over he film’s premier at Sundance.  Director Rapaport himself said that making the film was not a smooth ride and it was only at one stance that the group were together in the film’s making.  At Sundance, only Phife showed up with Rapaport during the premiere though each individual member was offered producer credits.  As Phife’s wife says in the films: “It saddens my heart to see the group not be together.”

Rapaport’s film is biased.  Everyone interviewed kept saying how talented the group is.  The individuals praise themselves too.  Rapaport never delves into the root problem of the group – so that one naturally assumes that it is ego that separates the members.  Drugs and alcohol are never mentioned, a problem when every famous group faces problems.

Rapaport never attempts to make his subjects more interesting.  So, for the majority of audiences, chances that if you don’t like or care for the group, you won’t care too much about this documentary either.