This Is the Life

How the West was One

In 1989, a collective of young hip hop artists gathered at a health food café in South Central Los Angeles. Their mandate? To reject gang culture and expand the musical boundaries of hip hop. DuVernay's documentary chronicles the historic legacy of the Good Life Cafe — the open mic nights that became an L.A. institution, the eclectic array of talented young MCs that emerged there, the alternative hip hop movement they developed, and their worldwide influence on the artform.

Documentary
Music

You Might Also Like

  • Guerillere Talks
  • Beastie Boys: Video Anthology
  • Eden
  • Quest
  • War of Words: Battle Rap in the UK
  • 8 Mile
  • Dave Chappelle's Block Party
  • Beyond Silence
  • Bollywood/Hollywood
  • Sex(ed): The Movie
  • Supergirl
  • Ulysse
  • Dream Land
  • Itinerary of Jean Bricard
  • Who Is Arthur Chu?
  • Step
  • Trophy
  • Unrest
  • Whose Streets?
  • Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton