Docmaker on the Go

Papa Wu (WuTangClan), ODB's Mom and Greta Hunter Interview Watch the video This clip was shot backstage at the "Annual Raising of Kings and Queens Day" in the Bronx this past Summer. In this clip, Papa Wu of the WuTangClan and Cherry Jones, ODB's Mom, talk about Hip-Hop and the need to bring it back to the Bronx where it all began.

Graffiti Legend: ROLLEO Interview at 5-Pointz Watch the video This short clip came about last year at "Old Timer's Day" at 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum in NYC. ROLLEO was a legend on the trains back in the day. Here we get a chance to see him working on a piece at the Museum, goofing all with Graffiti Legend: BLADE, signing a kid's black book as well as talking a bit about his history.

Graffiti Legend: WINE-149 Interview at 5-Pointz Watch the video This interview was shot at 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum in NYC at the "Old Timers" day this past year. WINE gives a great interview and shares his history and view on graffiti writers of today and the past.

"DONZ" Crew Spittin' Rhymes in a Cypher in Latimer Projects, Queens, NY Watch the video I'm back on the streets of New York City where I live, the birth place of Hip-Hop. This time I'm with my friend and fellow filmmaker, Javier Goin as we take on the Latimer Projects in Queens, NY. We are working on our joint project SKILLZ DVD Magazine capturing a hot "Off the Head" Cypher where 3 underground Hip-Hop Artists from the DONZ Crew spit some solid rhymes. They are: Nutrageous, Ron and Semi-Automatic.

"TREE" Spittin' Rhymes in the Y-O! Watch the video Once again I hit the road with SKILLZ DVD Magazine, a project that I did with my friend and fellow filmmaker, Javier Goin. This time we were in the Y-O, that's Yonkers, NY if you didn't know already from previous posts. We had a bit of a cypher jumping off on the Ravine Road. It was a crazy night with some serious lyrical skills being brandished on the boom. Here's a short clip that highlights the big man "TREE", part of the infamous "Gangsta' Click".

Nutrageous and Semi-Automatic Freestylin' in Queens Projects Watch the video This clip captures another moment in the Latimer Gardens Public Housing Projects in Queens, NY with SKILLZ DVD Magazine on the beat. SKILLZ is a project that was conceived by Lynn Lane and Javier Goin one afternoon at a Starbucks Coffee shop talking about filmmaking and the need to document the 4 elements of Hip-Hop and the base that they came from, the streets of New York City. In this clip, SKILLZ takes it to Legendary underground Hip-Hop artist: Nutrageous and he sets off a cypher with his "DONZ" Crew, this time with Nut and Semi-Automatic demonstrating their lyrical skills in both English and Spanish. The cypher was hot and spilled out into the night.

Ron of "DONZ Crew" Spittin' Rhymes in Queens, NY Watch the video This was another day spent on the beat shooting for our project SKILLZ DVD Magazine. This time we are in the housing projects of Queens, NY filming one of the hottest Underground Hip-Hop Artists in Queens known as "Nutrageous". This clip comes from a cypher that was set off and captures RON in a freestyle.

Hip-Hop Artist: Nutrageous Takes it to the Streets with Some Freestyle Skillz Watch the video This past year was an amazing year for me. I had the opportunity to see some of the greatest Underground talent out there. One guy who really stood out as a serious lyrical master was an underground sensation from Queens, NY: Nutrageous. This guy is able flow off of the top of the head on any subject that comes in his line of site when on and off the mic. This interview and freestyle was from a session in a Housing Project in Queens this past year shot for SKILLZ DVD Magazine.

"Large Amount" Spits Rhymes in the Y-O! Watch the video It was another late night for SKILLZ DVD Magazine as we pulled up on Ravine Road in the Y-O, Yonkers where we met up with Hip-Hop Artist: Large Amount. It was a crazy off the head session with LM spittin' some serious lyrical flow. SKILLZ DVD Magazine is a project by Lynn Lane and Javier Goin that explores the 4 elements of Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop culture. It revolved around interviews with some of the legends of Hip-Hop in all 4 elements: MC, DJ, bBoys and Graf Writers. This night was especially nice as it captured that moment of the Hip-Hop artist on the street with his crew spittin' rhymes and showing the love he has for his friends as well as the loyalty to his block.

OG from the YO Spittin' Rhymes with the "Gangsta' Click" Watch the video This shot was from another wild night up on Ravine in the YO (Yonkers) on a shoot for SKILLZ DVD Magazine. We were there to shoot "Large Amount" but this Legendary OG rolled up and spit some solid rhymes. He's spit with DMX and Jadakiss in the past so he's definitely got respect in the YO and he's in tight with the Gangsta' Click. SKILLZ DVD Magazine will be dropping in the next couple of weeks and you can see more of this as well as other videos from Hip-Hop legends as well as hot new artists. For more videos check out Docmaker on the Go!

Click Here to View Video.It was a crazy interview session goin' off that day on the streets of the South Bronx. We had J Gutta, Un, and Buddha Bride on the corner droppin' tons of knowledge that day on all subjects from gang violence, the history of Hip-Hop to life in the inside as well as on the outside of the incarceration system. In this clip, Hip-Hop Artist: Buddha Bride, spits a serious freesyle with mad flow.

Click Here to View Video.Un and Hip-Hop Artists: J Gutta and Buddha Bride are back on the corner in the South Bronx. This time they are talking about the state of Hip-Hop and how the community doesn't support the pioneers. It's a great discussion that covers some of the history of the music and kids today as well as people such as Flava' Flav and his stint on "The Surreal Life".

Click here to view.This short excerpt from a much longer interview gives some solid insight into life on the street, growing up in incarceration and what the street can be like. Hip-Hop Artists, J Gutta and Buddha Bride along with Un share their feelings on real life experiences and what life can be like. This interview was shot in the South Bronx during the latter part of the summer of 2005.

Click here to view video.We're back on the grind again after a Thanksgiving day break from the vlog. This time I'm bringing you one of the Legends of NYC Graffiti Writers:BURN1. During this interview BURN gives his story as to how he became a Graf Writer, the origins of his name as well as touching on his days as an UpRocker. This interview was shot during the "Old School Day" event at 5 Pointz Graffiti Museum here in NYC. This is an excerpt from a much longer section to be a part of SKILLZ DVD Magazine, a project that I have been very passionate about since we began it. Don't be shy. Go ahead and say something, leave a comment and let me know you what you thought.

Click to view video.This interview was shot at "5 POINTZ: An Institution of Higher Burning" (Graffiti Museum in NYC). The event going off was "Old Timers' Day" and the legends were out in full force. My project SKILLZ DVD Magazine was there in full effect talking with all the Old School Graf Writers. This short clip captures a moment with Graffiti Legend: FARGO. He began his career in 1973 writing on the trains and still writes today. Sit back and enjoy a trip back in time with FARGO. Don't be shy. Go ahead and leave a comment.

Click here to view video.This video takes you to the legendary "Fulton Mall" with Hip Hop Artist: J Gutta of "From the Ground Up" Productions. "Hood Hoppin' with J Gutta" is a regular section of forthcoming SKILLZ DVD Magazine. Each issue J Gutta takes us to various hoods in search of the best rappers on the street. This time we catch up with "Braille Records" CEO Verbal Kent and his artist Jax 1 on the streets of Brooklyn. Both guys have some serious skillz and spit a few rhymes for the camera. Definitely a couple of guys and a label to be on the look out for. Don't be shy. Go ahead and leave a comment.

Click here to view.This was an impromptu visit to the "Tributary Records" Recording Studio in the South Bronx. We were out on the streets one night shooting for the forthcoming SKILLZ DVD Magazine when we decided to drop in on Mohammad, the engineer at Tributary Records. Mohammad had Hip Hop Artist: Fugitive, in the studio that night and they both give us their perspective on Hip Hop today and today's labels. Fugitive spits a rhyme as well of the head at the end. Thanks goes out to "From the Ground Up" Records and their Hip Hop Artist: J Gutta for making this night a possibility. Don't be shy. Go ahead and leave a comment.

Click here to watch video.This day was a truly high energy, slammin' fun time to be had by all in attendance at the "Annual Melrose Projects Family Day". There were DJs spinnin' on the wheels of steel, kids in the park dancing, parents outdoors cooking and sharing in this glorious energy. This moment takes you back to what living in New York City and especially the South Bronx was like back in the day. It was filled with family, joy and good times all poppin' off to a deep rooted soundtrack of Soul and Old School Hip-Hop. This video helps to capture and preserve some of what was this year's "Melrose Projects Family Day". A big thanks goes out to "From the Ground Up" Productions and Hip Hop Artist: J Gutta for helping to make this possible. Don't be shy. Go ahead and leave a comment.

Click here to view.Today's video takes you to a place when trains were filled with art and certain writers were viewed as "KINGS". One of these "KINGS" was BLADE and I was lucky enough to talk with him for a few minutes during the painting of one of his pieces this summer at 5 Pointz: An Institution for Higher Burning during a shoot for the forthcoming SKILLZ DVD Magazine. To give you an idea about who BLADE was in the scheme of NYC Graffiti Writers, here's a short excerpt describing the man himself. "BLADE: King, master, visionary. BLADE is more than a graffiti artist. A remarkably pivotal figure in the history of graffiti. Blade's successes as a graffiti artist are myriad. BLADE's artwork has been extensively collected and exhibited for over twenty years and has participated in over 60 select solo and group gallery exhibitions throughout the world. BLADE has also been involved in numerous symposiums and appeared in hundreds of articles, television features, magazine and journal publications and catalogues. At the forefront of the subway graffiti movement in the 1970's, BLADE's work is not only recognized as significantly influential, but his lengthy career as a professional artist has warranted his worldwide notoriety and fame. Painting over 5,000 trains and evolving to new levels of subway and canvas graffiti, BLADE has had exhibitions at the Whitney Museum (2000), Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2000), a 1991 show at the Musee National Des Monuments François (Paris France), numerous shows at the Groninger Museum, and dozens of shows in Europe and Asia. On October 28, 1994, Blade was invited to the Groninger Museum to meet Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, as she was attending the prestigious institution's re-opening. His work is highly collectable." Go ahead, don' be shy and leave a comment.

Click here to view video.This was another great day up in the "Y-O". The "Y-O", a.k.a. Yonkers, is home to Ruff Ryders Recording Studio where on this day we caught up with Hip Hop Artist Drag-On during the recording of his forthcoming CD. This is a short clip from a much longer interview coming soon on SKILLZ DVD Magazine. Here Drag-On gives a little of his history with the label, his battle with DMX and speaks on the state of Hip Hop today compared to yesterday.Here's a short bio on Drag-On as taken from the "All Music Guide" and written by Stacia Proefrock."East Coast rapper Drag-On had a long and profitable history in the background of hardcore rap albums; contributing to projects like DMX's two multi-platinum albums, Ruff Ryders' "Ryde or Die, Vol. 1", DJ Clue?'s The Professional, and several compilations and soundtracks. In early 2000, he released his first solo album, Opposite of H2O, which brought him up to the forefront and showcased his talent for laid-back, slippery grooves and thug rhymes."Dont' be shy, go ahead and leave a comment.

Click here to view video.Once again I had the great pleasure of catching up with one of Hip Hop's Legends. This time is was with "Wonder Mike" of the legendary "The Sugarhill Gang". It was all part of the SKILLZ DVD Magazine. This footage and interview was captured at the "Annual Raising of Kings and Queens Day" in the South Bronx. The day was filled with Old School Hip Hop greats, fun times, great food and what else can I say. Check out this little clip. This is only a small section from the much larger project known as SKILLZ DVD Magazine. Check out the clip and don't be shy, leave a comment.

Click here to view."Old Timers' Day" in the South Bronx was filled with excitement from legendary Hip Hop Icons on the mic and turntables to people dancing in the streets and park to a crazy "Old Timers' Day" basketball game with everyone over 40 kicking it on the courts. There was tons of action rolling all across the various parks and playgrounds on this day in the South Bronx. We had the great fortune of having J Gutta, Hip Hop Artist of "From the Ground Up Records" take us around and show us some of the good times going on in the South Bronx on this day. King Uprock and J Gutta even take on some young bucks on the basketball court and show them what Old Skool is all about. So if you've ever wanted to see what it was like back in the day, this is a solid glimpse into the past but shot today. It captures that Old Skool "In the park, before it gets dark" feeling of good times.