Deep Crates 2

Toronto filmmaker Jeremy Weisfeld gathers an impressive cast of legendary hip-hop producers to talk about their craft. While the talking head documentary starts off with some elementary information, such as the importance of Afrika Bambaataa and the invention of the scratch aimed at the hip-hop novice, the doc also takes pains to highlight the contributions of underrated players such as Ced Gee of Ultramgnetic MC’s fame and engineer extraordinaire Ivan "Doc” Rodriguez. Things pick up when production luminaries such as Marley Marl and Pete Rock, who are also lauded by other producers in the documentary, talk about their sampling and digging strategies. The dust mask of Toronto producer Marco Polo, acquired while combing through vinyl, deserves a special mention. It’s also thrilling that the documentary visits Japan and places like Shibuya in Tokyo, where arguably the densest concentration of vinyl record stores anywhere on the planet exists. But what sets the documentary apart is the discussion of the politics of hip-hop production, covering inflated vinyl prices, the impact of Serato, and the shameless biting of J Dilla, revealing the passion and ethics informing the art form.