HUSTLERS CONVENTION
Executive Produced by Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Hustlers Convention is a documentary film on the forgotten roots of rap. The film centres around the life and times of Jalal Mansur Nuriddin of The Last Poets and the forgotten influence of his seminal record Hustlers Convention.
Hustlers Convention is an album that changed the face of music. It gave the streets a voice and was recited in inner cities across America. Despite being largely forgotten, it still resonates with meaning today. The likes of Fab Five Freddy and Melle Mel can still recite the album word for word.
Animation sequences bring to life the epic story contained within the Convention, as its themes interweave with the history and culture that is being explored. Footage from iconic Blaxploitation films of the era and historical archive further bring the period to life. However, this is more than just a tale of how a sub-culture evolved, it is also a personal and very human story of Jalal’s own struggles.
Taking its title from the album, the film reveals the deep roots rap music has in the oral tradition of the Jail Toast, rhymed storytelling filled with larger than life characters. In Hustlers Convention, Jalal’s toasting style met the politics of the post-Malcolm X era and gave birth to rap as we know it today.
In the words of Fab Five Freddy, Hustlers Convention is ‘the greatest toast of them all.’
Critical Reception
The documentary has been praised for shedding light on a pivotal yet often overlooked piece of African American cultural history. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian describes it as “a valuable slice of cultural history,” noting that it re-examines a “lost ancestral moment of black consciousness and black pop culture in the US.”
Read more article :THE GUARDIAN
However, some critics have pointed out shortcomings in the film’s execution. A review from Flickfeast criticizes the use of animation, stating that it “cheapens the recording to the point of b-grade cartoon,” and mentions that the interviews, while featuring legendary figures, become repetitive.
FLICKFEAST
“Hustlers Convention” offers an in-depth look at an influential work that has inspired generations of artists in the hip-hop genre. The documentary not only explores the album’s creation but also situates it within the broader context of African American oral traditions and the socio-political landscape of the 1970s.
While “Hustlers Convention” has been lauded for bringing attention to a seminal work in the evolution of hip-hop, some critiques regarding its presentation suggest that it may not fully capture the album’s significance. Nonetheless, it remains a noteworthy documentary for those interested in the roots of hip-hop and African American cultural history.