Beat Street

Stan Lathan / 1984 / 106 min. / digital video

Columbia College Conaway Center, 1104 S. Wabash
Friday, November 15, 2019, 6-10pm
free admission

Part of An Incomplete History of Hip-Hop in Film, presented by South Side Projections, Columbia College’s Hip-Hop Studies Minor, Hip-Hop Club, and Hip-Hop: A Sonic History course

Beat Street follows aspiring MC Double K, his breakdancing brother Lee, and their graffiti artist friend Ramo as they aim for stardom with some help from uptown girl Rae Dawn Chong. Produced by Harry Belafonte and directed by unheralded African American director Stan Lathan, the film features a who’s-who of early hip-hop and b-boy stars, including the Rock Steady Crew, Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Doug E. Fresh, Brenda Starr, Africa Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, Kool Herc, and Kool Moe Dee (without his trademark sunglasses).