By Lauren deLisa Coleman
(AllHipHop Features) If you’ve been waiting for the next, thought-provoking hip hop documentary, wait no more.
Mass Appeal and Netflix has released a new Hip-Hop docu-series called “Rapture,” and the premise is pretty intriguing. Throughout eight episodes, each of which features a recording artist in Hip-Hop — Nas and Dave East, T.I., Rapsody, Logic, G-Eazy, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, 2 Chainz and Just Blaze – Rapture provides an insight look these artists’ lives with their families and friends. But it’s more than just a mindless whirl of stage performances and studio sessions. Where this project wins is production cadence unique to each artists actual statement within this particular snapshot of time in their lives.
For example, the deliberate pacing of T.I.’s reflective episode is directly reflective of his psycho-social journey to make a difference in today’s socio-politically driven world that is tense, in large part, due to race relations in America today. From T.I.’s meeting with legends from Harry Belafonte to Andrew Young (though we would have loved to see inclusion the artist meeting with such Black female legendary activists as Angela Davis or others) we witness the unfolding of T.I.’s approach to using his cultural platform to drive awareness about sensitive issues in our society today.
However, the rich and very often-times humorous cadence of Nas’ navigation of status as Hip-Hop legend is fast-paced. This is a rare look at Nas’ interaction with other artists, thoughts on his impact over the years and much more. Nas’ brother “Jungle” is a true stand out here who told me, “I love how they used a lot animation to get my points across when I was telling certain stories about me and Nas back in the day.” The particular integration of Dave East, his backstory told by both him and his parents, and his journey into the Nas camp is, at times, very, profound yet definitely entertaining.
In short, “Rapture” is a well-produced package though we would have loved to see more women included in front of and behind the camera. Perhaps in the near future.
“Rapture” can be seen on Netflix exclusively.
