[Chicago Slices raw: Hip Hop]

Raw footage for "Chicago Slices," a 1994-1995 television series on WPWR about life in and around Chicago. This video starts with a few minutes of footage of children doing a Chicago Slices promo. This is followed by footage of Ivan Watkins, who introduces us to his friends Julian, Andrew, and Duro Wicks, who are part of the rap group Kinetic Order. They discuss hip hop culture, and then head over to Duro's house, where they meet up with another friend and circle up to freestyle rap.

00:00Copy video clip URL “Chicago Slices” promo done by kids. The speech is divided up between the group so that each child has his/her own sentence.

03:44Copy video clip URL Walking upstairs into an apartment with hip-hop music playing and footage of someone playing a Nintendo video game. Ivan introduces the group as “Kinetic Order” and says that the hip hop music industry in Chicago is booming. He also introduces Julian and Andrew, and explains that Duro Wicks will be meeting up with them later to rap. Ivan describes Chicago Slices to Julian, who goes on to talk about the varying definitions of hip hop. He says that it’s the new generation of music, and that it’s crossing all borders. He says that he resists calling hip hop a culture in itself because there’s a danger in it actually losing its roots and becoming too generic and homogenized.

08:50Copy video clip URL Andrew disagrees, saying that he does believe that it’s a culture, noting that it is infusing all aspects of life such as dance, dress, language, and lifestyle. He says that hip hop is not just rap, but is bigger than rap, although rap is part of hip hop. Andrew also talks about graffiti art, saying that it’s the underground part of hip hop. He goes on to criticize those who say that graffiti isn’t art or that rap isn’t music.

11:30Copy video clip URL They discuss break dancing and the interplay between break dancing and hip hop. Julian notes that the categories that used to divide different aspects such as graffiti art, break dancing, and rap are now coming together in hip hop. Julian then goes into a series of “shout outs” to a number of people and groups, and then describes this to be a sign of respect and acknowledgment.

15:30Copy video clip URL Ivan talks about how surprised he was at a recent barbeque when people of all backgrounds and races came together on a “positive vibe.” He used this to illustrate the fact that hip hop is breaking down barriers of racism and division between people.

16:30Copy video clip URL Andrew points out that people who don’t understand hip hop make assumptions that hip hop is all they know and understand. He goes on to say that the graffiti artists don’t get the respect they deserve because they are incredibly talented artists.

17:45Copy video clip URL Andrew shows the computer where he’s working on 3-D computer animation for his sister’s production company. He explains that he’s studying this in school and that it’s what he loves to do. He demonstrates the computer animation work he’s done on the computer.

24:20Copy video clip URL Ivan is seated looking at photos of them posing. Julian jokes with Andrew about his loyalty to the New York Knicks, pointing out that the Bulls are a better team. Andrew goes in the other room and brings out his Knicks player “heads” and they all laugh.

27:30Copy video clip URL They talk about rap artists in Chicago and the competition with New York and Los Angeles. Andrew points out that all Chicago rappers get easily offended when someone from New York says something negative about one Chicago rapper. They talk and argue about the lack of exposure for Chicago artists because most of the production is on the coasts.

33:12Copy video clip URL They decide together that rather than waiting for their friend Duro, they’ll go out to look for him. They go out and talk more about the hip hop scene in Chicago, talking about the evolution of different clubs. They get into the car and talk more about hip hop culture and the connection to money. They stop because they see Duro, decide to go to his house, and jump back in the car.

41:50Copy video clip URL They get out of the car at Duro’s house, where they meet up with another friend, hang outside the door and joke around some more. They head up the stairs and walk around the apartment, highlighting the small studio where Monica Brown makes her paintings. Several of the paintings line the walls.

50:02Copy video clip URL They circle up and start the freestyle rap. They pass the rap around and keep it going for a number of minutes.

01:01:50Copy video clip URL They stop the rap and reflect on it, comparing the freestyle to a more scripted rehearsed performance.