This Is the Life (film)

Infobox Film
name = This is the Life


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director = Ava DuVernay
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starring = Freestyle Fellowship
Abstract Rude
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cinematography =
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released = 2008
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country = U.S.A.
language = English
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imdb_id = 1178658

"This is the Life" is a 2008 documentary film, directed by Ava DuVernay, that examines the Good Life Cafe hip hop scene of the early 90s in Los Angeles.

Interviewees include Myka 9 and P.E.A.C.E. of Freestyle Fellowship, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5, Abstract Rude, Pigeon John, 2Mex, Busdriver, and many others. The director Ava DuVernay, known at the time as Eve, was herself an MC at the Good Life open-mic as part of the group Figures of Speech.

Good Life Cafe

The Good Life Health Food Centre's weekly open-mic night started in December 1989 on the corner of Crenshaw & Exposition. Promoted by B. Hall and her son R. Kain Blaze, the Good Life offered a workshop-like atmosphere for aspiring MCs, poets and musicians to hone their craft. On Thursday nights from 8-10pm, artists were allowed to perform one song. Some would perform written songs, and some would freestyle. When a performance was not up to par, the audience would call out "Please pass the mic!" and the performer had to pass the mic to the next MC. And there was a strict policy that no cursing was allowed. Said promoter B. Hall, "Young people needed a place to go to develop their own art. The no-cussing policy wasn’t about us being uptight church people, it was about wanting the atmosphere of a serious arts workshop. Most of the crowd respected the rule, some said it made rapping more challenging, that it created more respect and brotherhood."

Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Lenny Kravitz reportedly attended the open-mic, and artists such as The Pharcyde, Biz Markie, Fat Joe (whose mic was unplugged because he broke the no-cursing rule), Skee-Lo, and Kurupt occasionally performed there. Good Life Regulars Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee came together to form Jurassic 5. Other Good Life regulars include Freestyle Fellowship, Abstract Rude, Chillin Villain Empire, Rifleman Ellay Khule, Volume 10, Medusa, Figures of Speech, Spoon Iodine, Ganjah K, and Fat Jack, among many others. According to Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5, "The Good Life was a renaissance period in hip hop." By 1992, the weekly open-mic had crowds spilling out into the street.

Soundtrack

In 2008, an unofficial Good Life soundtrack was released by rapper Ellay Khule. It features live performances recorded at the Good Life.

Track listing:

01. Power of the P - SIN

02. Nobody (Live) - Aceyalone

03. Abstract Rude

04. Hip Hop Kclan Live Role Call

05. Ellay Khule Live

06. Rifleman Up & Away Live

07. Chali 2na Live

08. Unity Committee Live

09. Alpha Omega - Figures of Speech

10. Mikah 9 Live

11. Spoon Iodine Live

12. CVE Live

13. Live Ngafish Acapella

14. Farmer John Hymnal & Darkleaf

15. Akilee AKA Allah Culture

16. Misia and Allah Culture

17. Sesquipedelian Live

18. Freestyle Fellowship Live

19. Ganja K

20. Volume 10 Live

21. Hip Hop Nation

22. Aceyalone & Trend Live

23. Of Mexican Descent Live

24. Capitol AK Live

25. Abstract Rude Live

Awards

The film world premiered to a sold-out audience as a work-in-progress in February 2008 at the Pan-African Film Festival. There it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary, as well as Special Jury mention for general documentary excellence. The film went on to capture Audience Awards at ReelWorld Film Festival in Toronto and Langston Hughes African-American Film Festival in Seattle. The documentary was selected for the invitation-only National Black Arts Festival in June 2008 in Atlanta.

Other official festival selections include: UrbanWorld Film Festival, San Francisco Black Film Festival, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Black Lily Film & Music Festival, Arizona Black Showcase, Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles.

On July 31 2008, the award-winning documentary debuted as a finished work at filmmaker Allison Anders' 'Don't Knock The Rock' film series in Los Angeles to a sold-out audience.

External links

*
* [http://www.myspace.com/goodlifelove Official website]

References

* [http://www.laweekly.com/music/music/down-for-the-good-life/11397/ "Down for the Good Life,"] Brendan Mullen, "L.A. Weekly", June 21, 2000.
* [http://oufront.blogsport.de/2006/10/28/hiphophistory-good-life-cafe-project-blowed/ "Livin' the Good Life,"] Nicole Balin, "The Source."
* [http://ugsmag.com/interviews/ava-duvernay "Ava DuVernay: This is the Life,"] interview by Jon B, "UGS Mag," May 13, 2008.