Blu-Ray Review: ‘Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest’

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CHICAGO – Actor Michael Rapaport proves himself a gifted documentarian with “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD and a gift for fans of the golden age of hip-hop. Documenting the ups and downs of one of the most beloved and influential bands in the history of rap, Rapaport has delivered a strong music doc that sags a bit near the end but nevertheless serves to remind viewers of the right age that hip-hop just ain’t what it used to be.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

I’m old enough to remember when A Tribe Called Quest hit the music world like a bomb. For the right listeners of the right age (of which I was one), the band was a part of a wave of bands that were revolutionizing hip-hop in their own way. I vividly remember De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, and A Tribe Called Quest (all of which had a similar, world-conscious style while equally-important bands like N.W.A., Public Enemy, Run D.M.C., and The Wu-Tang Clan were doing something more aggressive). A Tribe Called Quest ruled and it was always a little disappointing that they kind of just faded away with some interesting solo work from Q-Tip but no band releases since 1993’s “Midnight Marauders” (which Questlove reveals in the doc came out on the same day as Wu-Tang’s “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),” which is INSANE).

“Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18th, 2011
Photo credit: Sony

Rapaport follows a pretty typical “Behind the Music” structure: Charting the band’s getting together, success, influence, and eventual in-fighting. In fact, the traditional structure of the film is a bit disappointing given that this band was anything but traditional. The thing I found most interesting actually wasn’t the interviews with the band members but the people who they so clearly influenced from Pharrell Williams to Common to Questlove to The Beastie Boys. Hearing these great hip-hop artists talk about what Tribe meant to their music is fascinating stuff.

“Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18th, 2011 Photo credit: Sony

And they all seem to agree — hip-hop hasn’t been the same since Tribe left. If anything, “Beats” feels like a love letter to an era that simply isn’t happening any more. I think the tenth anniversary of the iPod is an interesting timing with the release of this film since the digital device has clearly changed not just the way we listen to music but how we create it as well. Will guys still go to record shops to find samples like Q-Tip did? What will the lack of community that was created by the Boombox mean for future generations? Has the newly-individualized experience of music made it impossible for there to be another A Tribe Called Quest?

For fans of the band or those completely unfamiliar with them, this is a smart, fun, and often-enlightening documentary about the early and most-important days of hip-hop through the eyes of one of the bands most important to this art form’s history. Rap fans absolutely need to see it and even those who have no idea who Bonita Applebum is might want to take a look as well. It’s just short of a great documentary but it’s hard to believe anyone who likes music wouldn’t at least deem it good.

Synopsis:
A Tribe Called Quest has been one of the most commercial successful and artistically significant musical groups in recent history. The band’s sudden break-up in 1998 shocked the industry and saddened the scores of fans, whose appetite for the group’s innovative musical stylings never seem to diminish. This insightful film, directed by Michael Rapaport, takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes journey - chronicling the group’s rise to fame and revealing the stories behind the tensions which erupted in the years to come.

Special Features:
o Deleted Scenes
o Bring Beats to Life
o On the Red Carpet
o Commentary with Director Michael Rapaport
o Mike’s Journey
o Eight Extended Scenes featuring COmmon, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and More
o BD Live Enabled

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com