Gangbangin' Fo' Life -- Is Gonzo Filmmaking Hip-Hop?

Gangbangin' Fo' Life Vol. 2: Out On Bail

I think the answer is yes, but let me explain.

Last year I interviewed Alex Alonso, a Bronx native now living and working in Los Angeles whose sole occupation is to study gang life. In a nutshell, Alex is a gang scholar. Well, after interviewing Alex and writing up the interview for AllHipHop.com, I got a call from Jason Brooks through Alonso. Jason is a filmmaker like no other all right, that much became evident pretty quickly after we talked.

Basically, what Jason and his crew did is go to Compton and film some Crips and Bloods in their native habitat. To say that this stuff is raw would be an understatement of course. Or, let me put it this way: ask an economist why real estate prices are lower in Compton than the rest of the South Bay area of L.A. -- which is near the beach -- and the B's and C's probably have a little something to do with it.

In any case, Jason Brooks' Jay Gee Entertainment signed a distribution deal with Koch and Gangbangin Fo' Life: Out on Bail Vol. 2 is the first DVD out of several that will be the fruit of the deal. I spoke with Jason today and he informed me that the DVD is moving about 7,000 units per week and is doing magic at YouTube as well. Check out the trailer here.

*Disclosure: Hip-Hop Files and ProHipHop.com does not endorse gang life as a way of life but understands that it is the reality of inner-city living. Slav Kandyba, a freelance journalist who writes Hip-Hop Files, a Hip-Hop journalism column at ProHipHop.com, is not affiliated with any gang and never has been. Living in L.A., he does understand that Bloods and Crips and other gangs have influenced Hip-Hop culture and vice versa.

Comments

[Pathetic]

Aren't we as black people tired of looking like "wild animals". I feel shame towards those oppressed ghetto black people that have no refinement or diginty for themselves.

If someone said you look and act like an animal, what would you say? would you be able to argue? Would you say their racist?

Stop blaming society when your typecasted and generalized. The sad thing about it is other black people, we wear your burden, but lucky for me I can vindicate myself.

And thanks, youtube.com is the perfect place to show your video. Ever read the comments following? Retard-- just spread your "barbarism" all over the world.

Then you wonder why you have a hard time in society. Keep falling into stereotype. Don't worry though an explosion is about to happen because our negativity is spreading to white families, their kids are saying NI%&gger and shaking their asses like Beyonce, and that is not going to go over to well. You think you feel the heat now, see what's coming.

We set ourselves up for failure, it's pathetic.