Review of Style Wars (1984) by Ray M — 15 Jan 2010

Style Wars is the definitive hip hop movie. This film encompasses hip hop culture covering graffiti, the music, and break dancing. It is also a time capsule and a very significant film. It captures NY and hip hop's impact before most people even considered hip hop a culture. The city is captured as it was and no longer is.

It is not only the very first documentary ever made about hip hop but it is also one of the most influential. This was the film that had many kids who were into hip hop during the early 80's quoting it on the street and in school. The same kids were inspired to bomb graffiti and break dance.

Originally broadcast as a PBS documentary, it was well known and widely watched during it's airings throughout the 80's. Although not as widely known today by the younger generation as it is by those who actually witnessed its initial airings and popularity, this film still finds its way into conversations, record samplings, and articles on a daily basis. Over the last 20 years, many hip hop artists have sampled dialogue from this documentary. The straight forward, unrehearsed, and impromptu dialogue in this film far outdoes any script that could ever be thought or typed.