|
By DEBORAH NICOL
What to do when a celebrity
finds himself awash in money and the power to
influence others? Throw a great party, of course.
How to do it Dave Chappelle style? Bring the party
to the people...the people of Ohio.
With all the hubbub surrounding his contract with
Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show" and his
publicized issues with a newfound out-of-hand
lifestyle, Chappelle creates his own ideal
environment by bringing his sleepy little Ohio
hometown to the heart of New York's Bed-Stuy
neighborhood for what's to be one of the greatest
recorded hip-hop and R&B concerts. What may
initially sound like an odd combination (and
Chappelle does revel in the idea of bringing
small-town shopkeepers and parole officers to a
rap concert) actually results in a very welcoming,
laidback audience. Bussed in from Ohio and around
the city, these folks couldn't be happier to be
jumping in the rain for their favorite performers.
And what performers. Ahmir-Khalib Thompson of The
Roots helped create the lineup, and led the backup
band to ensure a great meld when various artists
performed together. Kanye West, Mos Def, Common,
The Roots, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu... the list
goes on and continues to be impressive,
culminating in The Fugees reuniting onstage for
the first time in years.
Chappelle takes pride in presenting groups such as
the Dead Prez whom he points out gets
infinitesimal radio play due to their
controversial lyrics. And not the sort of
controversy arising merely from language or
suggestive topics, but rather from questions of
society and the government that dig deep into
troubling issues. Each one of these artists is
thoughtful in their lyrical messages -- they are
intelligent musicians who further their popularity
by creating discussion rather chaos. Wyclef Jean
pulls aside marching band members from Ohio's
Central State University and asks them what they
would change if they were president. The replies
aren't trivial: end to the war, create more jobs,
provide more scholarships. He proceeds to tell
them to never blame anyone for their hardships,
but to continue to educate themselves and ensure
that education is available for their
neighborhood. With conversations such as these, a
circular relationship is reinforced between the
successful musicians and the unknown townspeople.
They are not so distant as to forget their roots
and the opportunities created that helped them
move forward.
Director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the
Spotless Mind) returns to his music video roots by
truly capturing the cozy feel of this concert. Not
merely focusing on the star power, he also delves
into the stories behind the attendees. Living on
the block of this all-day party are the owners of
the Broken Angel home, a (good) witch and an
artist. They have lived in their dilapidated
warehouse for many decades and have built its
exterior into the sky with angled windows and odd
corners. Much of the building still remains in
ruins, and yet the couple feels it is a castle in
the making. Just across the street is a nursery
school that once housed the late rapper Biggie
Smalls, and continues to be a nurturing
environment for the neighborhood's children.
Everyone interviewed is warm and welcoming to the
idea of Chappelle's party, even if the music is
new to them. Though the Broken Angel's witch
initially professes that she doesn't care for rap
music due to its foul language, later in the film
she is shown swaying on her balcony during the
concert.
This is not just a concert film, this is a block
party about the people, for the people. The
performers don't battle for stage time, but rather
they casually flow in and out of each other's sets
to create newly arranged works around the vibe of
the moment. Chappelle wanders backstage at one
point asking "Who's ready to go on?," to which
Badu offers her skills and saunters towards the
stage. There are no thoughtless rhythms, but
rather the audience has clearly processed the
messages and reply forcefully to the questions.
Music has power and education is contagious, and
the great equalizer is the ability to utilize
both.
DVD extras include soundtrack information and a
making-of featurette, which provides great
background on Gondry's interest in the project,
expands upon thoughts from the musicians, and
views the crew's battle with an impending
hurricane. Another featurette focuses on the
townsfolk from Ohio, expanding on their life about
town and their travels to the show. Also included
is an extended version of the film with longer
scenes of the musical performances. |
