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Documentary Uses Rap to Inspire Teens
11-May-2007
Written by: Allison Zimmer
The Hip Hop Project, opening today, documents a new initiative to help troubled city kids.
In a new documentary opening today, a program in New York City designed to help troubled children find hope and strength through rap will be explored. The Hip Hop Project, directed by Matt Ruskin, centers around 30-year-old Chris Rolle, aka Kazi, who started the program after being inspired by his video production teacher.
Following in the footsteps of such heartwarming films about reaching troubled youth in schools like Freedom Writers, The Hip Hop Project describes the program, not as a promoter of derogatory language in hip hop, but as a guide to teach teens to use words creatively to express their lives.
In addition to describing the way that the program has been initiated in schools, the film also deals with Rolle's childhood, which was painful and difficult.
On the film, Ruskin says, "It's really not about music. Music is a core piece of it, but it's really about the kids' lives and their desire to heal and overcome the obstacles of their lives."
Russell Simmons is also involved in the film's funding, as well as Queen Latifah and Bruce Willis. In the future, Willis hopes that the Hip Hop Project wil expand, potentially with 25 sites around the country in the next five years.
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