Bobbito Garcia

On the surface, “A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay Z” chronicles how hip-hop’s most successful rapper of the past two decades reached the top; but at its core, the film attempts to divulge the savvy and cunning business acumen of a mogul who decided being at the top of the charts wasn’t enough. This 60-minute unauthorized biography explores the mind of a man who never played by the rules and admits it. This film uncovers the price Mr. Carter paid for his success through recent controversies that include the racial debate of the Barneys deal, the feud with Harry Belafonte, and clashes with community activists over the construction of the Barclay Center. The film also explores rumors of association with the Illuminati, a highly publicized separation from the Roc-A-Fella crew, his estranged relationship with rapping mentor Jaz-O, and his break up with business partner Damon Dash. Through in-depth interviews with friends, former business partners, music industry executives, authors and journalists, this exploratory biopic gives the novice, the fan, the critic and the non-believer an uncensored look at Jay Z’s journey from Marcy Projects to Madison Avenue and beyond. As a drug dealer, turned rapper, turned CEO, turned author, turned sports agent, viewers will discover what drove Jay-Z to seek unlimited wealth, how he positioned himself to achieve this wealth, and whether criticism is warranted for someone who successfully pursued the American dream.

VICE Versa independent documentaries give voice to radical and unapologetic points of view. Immersive, provocative, and only on VICE, these stories tackle the broken systems and corrupt power structures of modern life head on.

In the infancy of hip-hop, Brooklyn-born photographer Jamel Shabazz documented the pioneers of music and style who would launch an enduring worldwide phenomenon. In JAMEL SHABAZZ STREET PHOTOGRAPHER Charlie Ahearn (director of the seminal graffiti movie Wild Style) pays tribute to both Shabazz and those who defined hip-hop before it had definition. More than just vintage shots of kids rocking sneakers and savvy street style in Times Square and Fort Greene Park, Shabazzês photographs have hundreds of stories behind them, and Ahearnês film gives voice to these images with intimate interviews with Shabazz himself, graffiti pioneer and hip-hop historian Fred –Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, legendary rapper KRS-One, and many others.

The life and career of Bobbito Garcia -- author, filmmaker, disc jockey and basketball enthusiast.

A documentary examining the creative and commercial value of musical sampling, including the related debates over artistic expression and copyright law by tracing the rise of hip-hop from the urban streets of New York to its current industry status.