Ice T's documentary "Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap"

Festival Insider: Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap Interview | 2012 Sundance Film Festival | Sundance Channel from Sundance Channel on Vimeo.

Earlier, this month I got to see Ice-T's "Something from Nothing..." Keep an eye out for it at your indie cinema or Netflix since Indomina bought the rights at Sundance and plans to distribute it this summer. I even hear there could be a TV series featuring cutting room floor interviews...could be sweet.

In this documentary Ice asks the somewhat cliched questions about rap as he wanders the streets of New York, Los Angeles and other cities, but he manages to pack 47 of your favorite rappers into 90 mins! Something no one else has achieved.

Watching this film you will be bombarded with lyrics and commentary about your favorite rapper's favorite rapper, if you get what I mean?! Bringing a conversation about rap's lyrical artform in video form means you lose some of the impact of the words compared to having them written on paper. But, some may argue that it brings another, more personal understanding about lyrics and why they are meaningful to those that write and perform their raps.

Ice-T: "Why do you think rappers aren't respected?"

Nas: "Threatening...why are you guys bringing street conversation to the mainstream world? Stay in your place, stay outta there. I don't like looking at you. Fix your pants, fix your hat!...I'm a grown man now, I've got no business wearing saggy jeans, no business at all, you know what I'm saying? But, I might let it sag just a little bit to annoy you few stiff muthas..."

My favorite rappers in this documentary? Grandmaster Caz, Rakim, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Nas, Eminem, KRS, Q-Tip, Kanye...Heavyweight!

My favorite quote from LA? In reply to Ice-T's question: "What's your style?" Snoop Dogg said: "it's Taekwondo!"

For a more indepth, objective review check out Indiewire.