A documentary about free creativity

A documentary about free creativity By Randy Harris

Now in its 11th year, the Florida Film Festival has become a land of opportunity for independent filmmakers looking for exposure. This year's festival showcased a wide range of feature, foreign, student and documentary films. Documentaries, as a rule, are usually more about labors of love than dreams of making millions at the box office. To a documentary filmmaker, the subject matter is deeply personal and close to their hearts.

More than 20 documentaries competed for the Festival's jury's prize for Best Documentary, with only one walking away with top honors. 'Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme,'; which was shown at the Enzian Theatre on June 12, was picked by judges to receive the special jury prize for documentary filmmaking.

Shot over the course of nine years in the Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, "Freestyle" shines the spotlight on underground rappers with the gift of improvisation. Director Kevin Fitzgerald thoroughly explores the ins and outs of this awe-inspiring sub-genre of hip-hop. Freestyle raps are spontaneous verses that must come completely off the top of one's head. Practitioners of this skill must possess lighting-quick wit and stream-of-consciousness creativity. The analogy used by some of its participants is that freestyle is almost a spiritual experience that taps into their very essence as human beings.

Born on the rooftops and street-corners of the Bronx, freestyle has evolved over the years into an artform. Freestyle rappers usually shun the commercialized rap that is marketed to the masses. Not concerned with landing a record deal or selling albums, freestyle rappers strive to perfect their craft for their own personal gratification. Through a series of interviews with a who's who of mainstream rappers and freestylers alike, Fitzgerald takes the viewer through a world many aren't even aware exists.

As we are shown throughout the film, freestyles are performed in many different ways and fashions. Cyphers involve a circle of MC's spitting unrehearsed rhymes into the air while playing off each other for inspiration. A non-violent approach to settling scores takes the shape of a battle rap, wherein two combatants engage in a war of words for bragging rights and street credit. Mostly though, freestyle sessions can come about anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstances (see the film "Slam" for examples).

Familiar faces like Mos Def, Ghostface Killah and The Last Poets make appearances and provide significant commentary. There is even some chilling footage of the late Tupac Shakur and the late Notorious B.I.G. sharing drinks and trading rhymes in a good-spirited freestyle session together. The true stars of the documentary however, are the freestyle legends introduced through Fitzgerald's camera lens.

The talents of freestylers such as Supernatural (representing New York) and Juice (hailing from Chicago) must be seen and heard to be believed. The epic battle between these two titans is definitely the highlight of the film. Supernatural's dictionary is his bible, which we are told he studies on a daily basis. Juice, on the other hand, is so naturally gifted that he is often accused of writing his rhymes beforehand. These two characters are perfect examples of the breed of rapper that make up this colorful subculture.

While Fitzgerald makes the most of his opportunities to interview celebrities and well-known rappers, he wisely focuses his camera on the players of the game itself. It should be obvious to anyone watching his documentary that Fitzgerald knows his subject well and loves the material with every fiber of his being. "Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme" deserves any recognition it receives and will hopefully go on to impact the country after its stop in Florida.