ABOVE PHOTO: Reelblack’s Mike Dennis is shown with award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee and Craig Carpenter. A special screening of “Black Film Now” took place at the International House in University City discussing the experience of black filmmakers for over a decade; and was part of the BlackStar Film Festival.
The groundbreaking documentary Hip Hop: The New World Order, a film exploring the global impact of Hip Hop in 8 international cities (Tokyo, Havana, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro, and Johannesburg) will premiere at The BlackStar Film Festival in Philaldelphia on Saturday, August 3rd at 4:30pm. A Q&A will immediately follow the screening with the director, Muhammida El Muhajir at Drexel University’s Papadakis Auditorium Room 120 located at 3141 Chestnut St Philadelphia.
Originally shot over 10 years ago, and considered the first film to document hip hop globally, the project has mushroomed into a rare archive and video survey of pioneering artists and communities around the world during the turn of the 21st century including Questlove (The Roots), dead prez, Roots Manuva (UK), DJ Muro (Japan), Oxmo Puccino (France) and Marcelo D2 (Brazil) who have since emerged as global cultural icons. As a work-in-progress, the project has been included in courses at Harvard University, The New School and The University of Sheffield (UK), and referenced in the book Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader.
“After years of focusing on other creative ventures, I’m thrilled to finally be releasing Hip Hop: The New World Order,” says El Muhajir, a Philly native who currently is Brooklyn based filmmaker, entrepreneur and brand marketing strategist. “Even before it’s official release, the project has received overwhelming attention over the years from academics, media, and cultural critics,” adds El Muhajir who toured the world solo, guerilla style in an attempt to provide a global context to the business and culture of Hip Hop.
The premiere at The BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia as well as a private screening in New York City will kickoff a series of international screenings later this summer throughout Europe, Africa and Japan.
The film will be available on August 15th exclusively at www.hiphopisglobal.com.
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