Music & Performance

Captured live at Nightstage, this 1989 performance by blues legend Junior Wells and special guest Buddy Guy find the revered musicians collaborating on such timeless songs as James Brown's "Super Bad" and Muddy Waters' "I Got My Mojo Workin'". An additional backstage interview with the two musicians offers candid insight into their longtime partnership. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Hosted by Katt Williams, the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards gives its regards to the best hip hop and urban musicians of the year. Guest performances include Nelly, Common, and Kanye West, among many others. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Outkast: Dare to Be Different documents the history of the popular hip-hop band that rose to prominence in the Atlanta music scene before dominating the charts with their mega-smash single "Hey Ya!" The film explains how Big Boi and Dre formed their partnership and survived their difficult early years together in the Dirty South scene. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Krump 1.0 Basic Techniques will teach newcomers how to perform the hip-hop clown dance known as krump, a dance seen in the documentary Rize. Those who master this video can move on to Krump 2.0: Advanced Techniques. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The United States Congress named 2003 the "Year of the Blues" as part of an initiative by several musical education groups to make more Americans aware of the history and heritage of blues music, one of America's most important homegrown art forms. To kick off this celebration of the blues, a special concert was held at New York City's historic Radio City Music Hall, and Lightning in a Bottle documents a memorable evening of music from a star-studded roster of artists. Offering a glimpse at the rehearsals and preparations that went into putting the show together as well as the evening's best performances, Lightning in a Bottle includes appearances by B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Macy Gray, Buddy Guy, Chuck D., Solomon Burke, David Johansen, Jimmie Vaughan and Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Alison Krauss, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Branford Marsalis Quartet: A Love Supreme Live is a concert film that features the jazz legend leading his band through a performance of John Coltrane's seminal work A Love Supreme. Joining saxophonist Marsalis is Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Noted photographer David LaChapelle makes his feature directorial debut with this documentary on a new facet of street culture in South Central Los Angeles. In 1992, after long-simmering racial tensions in Los Angeles erupted in riots following the verdicts in the Rodney King trial, a man named Tommy Johnson sought to spread a new message in a new way to the city's African-Americans. Creating a character called Tommy the Clown, Johnson developed an act that combined hip-hop-flavored comedy and dancing with an anti-gang and anti-violence message. Johnson's performances became wildly popular in South Central -- so much so that at one point, 50 different groups inspired by Johnson's example were performing in the area. In time, Johnson's loose-limbed dance style inspired a new wave of hip-hop street dancing called "krumping," a wildly athletic style in which arms, legs, and bodies fly with a frenzied abandon that moves at almost inhuman speeds. Rize follows the birth of clown dancing and krumping in South Central, and records how many young people have adopted the dance as a style of competition, offering a safer and healthier alternative to the gang culture that has long dominated Los Angeles. Rize premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The documentary Willie Dixon: I Am the Blues examines the remarkably influential career of musician Willie Dixon. In addition to an explanation of how his work for Chess records revolutionized blues and rock & roll, the man performs eight songs, including "Wang Bang Doodle," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," and "I Got the Blues." ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Inspiring performances by twenty of the finest names in contemporary gospel music are featured on this special home video collection. WOW Gospel 2003 includes music from Richard Smallwood with Vision, The Commissioned Reunion, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Dottie Peoples, The Rance Allen Group, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Ice Cube: The Making of a Don -- Unauthorized is an unauthorized biography about the life of rap-star/movie mogul Ice Cube. The film charts his idiosyncratic career trajectory from rapper in N.W.A to a successful actor and then director and writer. As this documentary is unauthorized no original music by the artist appears during the course of the film. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Legendary Bluesman B.B. King performs before an enthusiastic New York City crowd on this concert film that originally aired on the A&E cable network. The fourteen song setlist includes "The Thrill Is Gone," "When Love Comes to Town," "Let the Good Times Roll," and "Bad Case of Love." Ace guitarist Jeff Beck joins King for three numbers. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

The Source, one of America's leading hip-hop magazines, is also the power behind "The Source Awards," an annual celebration of the best the music has to offer, and some of the most important DJs and MCs have graced its stage since the awards were first presented in 1999. The Best of the Source Awards, Vol. 1: Hip-Hop History collects classic moments from the first four years of the annual ceremonies and includes appearances by Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi