BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL, UNDERPLAYED. and I MAY DESTROY YOU
Pop Culture Weekly Round-Up 26/02/2021
Hello there my friends. The weekend is finally here and I’m sharing a couple of Documentaries with you. BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL and one of my favorites from last year’s TIFF, UNDERPLAYED. I also talk about one of the best TV shows of last year, I MAY DESTROY YOU.
Not much going at the moment. I spent most of my endless free time (thanks, COVID) at Clubhouse. And I have to say, the hype is real. It reminds me of Twitter's first year. Before all the annoying people, big corporations and T*ump joined it and ruined it. I’m planning to use Clubhouse to start a ‘club’ to talk about Street Photography and as part of my SXSW coverage next month. I also created a new playlist on Spotify this week inspired by this The Punk Rock MBA video on YouTube. Anyway, I’m out of here. See you guys next week, take care!
BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL
BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL offers a fresh look at one of the greatest, most influential rappers of all time by those who knew him best. Made in collaboration with Biggie’s estate, I Got A Story To Tell is an intimate rendering of a man whose rapid ascent and the tragic end has been at the center of rap lore for more than twenty years.
Directed by Emmett Malloy, The documentary includes rarely seen footage filmed by his best friend Damon, as well as new footage from the rapper's life. It analyses Biggie’s shady side through the eyes of a friend he met as a teenager while selling drugs and his relationship with his mother. The film also does a great job of showing up how he rose to hip-hop stardom and helped to introduce a kind of realistic cinematic street hedonism to the world.
Most people already know how Biggie was tragically killed in 1997. And I appreciated that the film talks about that without going into the details of crazy conspiracy theories. BIGGIE: I GOT A STORY TO TELL is fine and I liked all the new footage and the interviews with his family members were very touching. But other than that, the Doc. doesn’t offer anything new.
UNDERPLAYED
Filmed over the summer festival season, UNDERPLAYED presents a portrait of the current status of the gender, ethnic, and sexuality equality issues in dance music.
I watched this great documentary last year at TIFF. UNDERPLAYED examines gender inequality in the EDM scene and gives voice to some very talented women seeking change in an industry dominated by male DJs. The horror stories told by these artists are heart-wrenching and only prove how important inclusion is.
The Film has also impressive cinematography and I’m excited to see what filmmaker Stacey Lee will create next.
I MAY DESTROY YOU
I was so impressed with this show. At first, I had second thoughts about watching it due to the heavy nature of the topic. But I’m glad I did because this is a gem!
I MAY DESTROY YOU can be raw, uncomfortable, and brutal but also strangely funny at times. The show is based on the real-life experience of writer/director/actress Michaela Coel. She stars as Arabella, a young woman dealing with the consequences of a sexual assault she suffered after having her drink spiked at a bar in London. The show is difficult to watch at times however, the layered and provocative storytelling makes it worthy.
I MAY DESTROY YOU is great, one of the best shows of 2020. And Coel, which is super talented, might have helped some people dealing with the same kind of trauma she went through.
Top 5 songs
These were the 5 songs on my heavy rotation this week. You can listen to them on Spotify and YouTube.
1 - LiL Lotus feat. lil Aaron - Girl Next Door
2 - Mike Shinoda feat. iann dior and UPSAHL - Happy Endings
3 - Haim ft. Taylor Swift - Gasoline
4 - Chad Tepper - Lonely Tonight
5 - Trippie Redd – SAVE YOURSELF