Tonight on PBS - on Hip-hop, Sexism and Misogyny
ABOUT THE FILM
HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes takes an in-depth look at representations of manhood, sexism and homophobia in hip-hop culture. This groundbreaking documentary is a "loving critique" of certain disturbing developments in rap music culture from the point of view of a fan who challenges the art form's representations of masculinity. Leading hip-hop figures, including Mos Def, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, Chuck D., Russell Simmons are interviewed—and pressed—to answer some difficult questions about the violent and sexually explicit content of many hip-hop songs and videos. HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes premieres on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens on February 20, 2007.
BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES websites:
itvs.org/outreach/hiphop/
myspace.com/beyondbeatsandrhymes
www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
SABRINA SCHMIDT GORDON (Editor/Co-Producer)
Sabrina Schmidt Gordon has been committed to educational, cultural and social advocacy programming for over a decade. Her editing debut garnered an Emmy for WGBH's Greater Boston Arts series. Gordon is also the Producer and Director of 180 Days, a documentary about the NYC Teaching Fellows Program, and Roughstars, a profile of the band at the forefront of the "rock and bounce" music scene in New York City.
STANLEY NELSON (Executive Producer)
Stanley Nelson, a 2002 MacArthur "genius" Fellow, is Executive Producer of Firelight Media, a not-for-profit documentary production company. His 2003 film, The Murder of Emmett Till, was broadcast nationally on PBS's American Experience. Nelson went on to win the Primetime Emmy for Best Directing for nonfiction and the highest honor in broadcast journalism, the George Foster Peabody award, among many others. His most recent film is Jonestown: The Life and Death of People's Temple.
BYRON HURT (Producer/Director)
Byron Hurt is the producer of the award-winning documentary and underground classic, I Am A Man: Black Masculinity in America and Moving Memories: The Black Senior Video Yearbook. Hurt is a former Northeastern University football star and long-time gender violence prevention educator. For over five years, he was the associate director and founding member of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program, the leading college-based rape and domestic violence prevention initiative for professional athletics. Over the past decade, Hurt has lectured at more than 100 college campuses and trained thousands on issues related to gender, race, sex, violence, music and visual media.
Contact Us:
African American, Urban, and Hip Hop Media Inquiries Are
Directed To April Silver of AKILA WORKSONGS Public Relations
pr@akilaworksongs.com • 718.756.8501
For Community Screenings, Please Contact:
Dennis Palmieri, National Community Relations Manager
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
dennis_palmieri@itvs.org
Jessica Tully, National Campaign Coordinator
Independent Television Service (ITVS)
jessica_tully@itvs.org
BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES websites:
itvs.org/outreach/hiphop/
myspace.com/beyondbeatsandrhymes
www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/