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Style Wars is an early documentary on hip hop culture, made by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant
Henry Chalfant

Henry Chalfant is a well known and highly regarded urban culture photography and videographer most notable for his graffiti and breakdance photography and film....
, made in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
 in 1983. The film has an emphasis on graffiti
Graffiti

Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is sometimes regarded as a form of art and other times regarded as unsightly damage or unwanted....
, although breakdancing and rapping
Rapping

Rapping is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes, wordplay, and poetry. Rapping is a primary ingredient in Hip Hop music, but the phenomenon predates Hip Hop culture by centuries....
 are covered to a lesser extent. The film was originally aired on PBS television in 1983, and was subsequently shown in several film festival
Film festival

A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality....
s to much acclaim, including the Vancouver Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival

The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October....
.

Style Wars shows both the young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, and their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of then New York City Mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch

Edward Irving "Ed" Koch was a United States Congressman from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989....
, one-armed graffiti writer Case/Kase 2, graffiti writer Skeme and his mother, graffiti "villain" Cap, now deceased graffiti writer Dondi, Seen
Seen

Richard Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti....
 and Shy 147, graffiti documentarian (and director of the film) Henry Chalfant, breakdancer Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew

Rock Steady Crew is a breakdancing crew and Hip hop culture group that was established in the Bronx, New York City in 1977. The New York Times called the Rock Steady Crew "the foremost breakdancing group in the world today."...
, police officers, art critics, subway maintenance workers, as well as several "people on the street".

Style Wars gives a remarkable view into the graffiti subculture
Subculture

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong....
 (as well as urban New York City life in the 1980s), documents the embryonic stages of New York City Hip Hop, and shows that its members were a racially and ethnically diverse group of creative young artists.








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Stylewars Cover
Style Wars is an early documentary on hip hop culture, made by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant
Henry Chalfant

Henry Chalfant is a well known and highly regarded urban culture photography and videographer most notable for his graffiti and breakdance photography and film....
, made in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
 in 1983. The film has an emphasis on graffiti
Graffiti

Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property. Graffiti is sometimes regarded as a form of art and other times regarded as unsightly damage or unwanted....
, although breakdancing and rapping
Rapping

Rapping is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes, wordplay, and poetry. Rapping is a primary ingredient in Hip Hop music, but the phenomenon predates Hip Hop culture by centuries....
 are covered to a lesser extent. The film was originally aired on PBS television in 1983, and was subsequently shown in several film festival
Film festival

A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality....
s to much acclaim, including the Vancouver Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival

The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October....
.

Style Wars shows both the young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, and their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of then New York City Mayor Ed Koch
Ed Koch

Edward Irving "Ed" Koch was a United States Congressman from 1969 to 1977 and the Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989....
, one-armed graffiti writer Case/Kase 2, graffiti writer Skeme and his mother, graffiti "villain" Cap, now deceased graffiti writer Dondi, Seen
Seen

Richard Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti....
 and Shy 147, graffiti documentarian (and director of the film) Henry Chalfant, breakdancer Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew

Rock Steady Crew is a breakdancing crew and Hip hop culture group that was established in the Bronx, New York City in 1977. The New York Times called the Rock Steady Crew "the foremost breakdancing group in the world today."...
, police officers, art critics, subway maintenance workers, as well as several "people on the street".

Style Wars gives a remarkable view into the graffiti subculture
Subculture

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong....
 (as well as urban New York City life in the 1980s), documents the embryonic stages of New York City Hip Hop, and shows that its members were a racially and ethnically diverse group of creative young artists.

Featured Graffiti Artists

Demon, Se3, Spank, Dez
DJ Kay Slay

DJ Kayslay , also known as The Drama King, The Black Fat Joe, Dezzy Dez and Slap Your Favorite DJ, is the ringmaster of the new hip hop rivalries, played out on his mixtapes....
, Skeme, Sayo1,Tokyo,Show, Ces 157, Min, Iz the Wiz
IZ (graffiti artist)

Iz "The Wiz" was one of the most prominent graffiti writers of the New York graffiti movement of the late 70's and early 80's. Iz was from the New York borough of Queens....
, Quik, Sach, Dondi, Seen
Seen

Richard Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti....
, Case/Kase 2, Dust, Zephyr
Zephyr (graffiti artist)

Andrew Zephyr Witten is a graffiti artist, lecturer and author from City of New York. He began creating graffiti in 1975 and first signed using the name "Zephyr" in 1977....
, Caos1, Revolt, Elite, BTS crew, Wasp 1, Noc, Kase, D-5, Trap, Butch, Zone, Kid 167, Cap, Shy 147, Lil' Seen, Mare, Daze, Crash, Paze, Cey, Futura
Futura 2000

Futura 2000 is an internationally acclaimed graffiti artist. He started to paint illegally on New York's rapid transit in the early seventies, working with other artists such as ALI ....
, Fred, Duro,

Featured Music

  • "8th Wonder" by The Sugarhill Gang
    The Sugarhill Gang

    The Sugarhill Gang is an United States Hip Hop group, known mostly for their biggest hit, "Rapper's Delight", the first hip hop music single recorded to become a Top 40 hit....
  • "The Message
    The Message (song)

    "The Message" is an old school hip hop hip hop music song by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Sugar Hill Records released it as a single in 1982 and it was later featured on an album named The Message ....
    " by Grandmaster Flash
    Grandmaster Flash

    Joseph Saddler better known as Grandmaster Flash, is an United States hip hop musician and disc jockey; one of the pioneers of Hip hop music disc jockey, cutting, and audio mixing ....
  • "Beat Bop" by Rammellzee
    Rammellzee

    Rammellzee , is a graffiti writer, performance artist, hip hop music musician and sculptor from New York City.Rammellzee's graffiti and art work are based on his theory of Gothic Futurism, which describes the battle between letters and their symbolic warfare against any standardizations enforced by the rules of the alphabet; his treatise, "...
  • "Pump Me Up" by Trouble Funk
    Trouble Funk

    Trouble Funk was an influential and successful Rhythm and blues and funk band from Washington, D.C. They helped to popularize the Washington, D.C....
  • "Rockin' It" by Fearless Four
    Fearless Four

    The Fearless Four was a Old school hip hop rapping crew from Harlem, New York, best known for their 1982 song "Rockin' It", which was based on the Kraftwerk track The Man-Machine and was featured in the 1983 documentary Style Wars....


DVD release


The digitally remastered DVD edition also contains:
  • 23 minutes of outtake footage
  • Commentary and interviews by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant
  • Interviews with Style Wars editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard
  • Art galleries by Blade, Cap, Cey, Crash, Crazy Legs, Daze, Dez
    DJ Kay Slay

    DJ Kayslay , also known as The Drama King, The Black Fat Joe, Dezzy Dez and Slap Your Favorite DJ, is the ringmaster of the new hip hop rivalries, played out on his mixtapes....
    , Dondi, Doze, Duro, Duster, Frosty Freeze, IZ the Wiz, Case/Kase 2, Kel First, Ken Swift, Lee, Mare139, Min One, Noc 167, Paze (Erni), Lady Pink
    Lady Pink

    Lady Pink is a graffiti artist. She was raised in Queens, New York, and started her career in 1979 when she started writing graffiti while a student at the High School of Art and Design, and made a name for herself as one of the only females capable of competing with men in the graffiti subculture....
    , Quik, Rammellzee
    Rammellzee

    Rammellzee , is a graffiti writer, performance artist, hip hop music musician and sculptor from New York City.Rammellzee's graffiti and art work are based on his theory of Gothic Futurism, which describes the battle between letters and their symbolic warfare against any standardizations enforced by the rules of the alphabet; his treatise, "...
    , Revolt, Sach, Seen TC5, Seen UA
    Seen

    Richard Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti....
    , Shy 147, Skeme, Tracy 168, and Zephyr
    Zephyr (graffiti artist)

    Andrew Zephyr Witten is a graffiti artist, lecturer and author from City of New York. He began creating graffiti in 1975 and first signed using the name "Zephyr" in 1977....
  • Tributes to Dondi and Shy 147
  • Guest interviews with Blade
    Blade

    A blade is the flat part of a tool, weapon, or machine that normally has a cutting edge and/or pointed end typically made of a flaking stone, such as flint, or metal, most recently steel....
    , Lee, Kel First, Seen
    Seen

    Richard Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti....
    , Tracy 168
    Tracy 168

    TRACY 168 is a well known 'Oldschool writer' from New York. He is known as one of the kings of graffiti and started the 'Wildstyle' style of graffiti....
    , Cap, IZ the Wiz
    IZ (graffiti artist)

    Iz "The Wiz" was one of the most prominent graffiti writers of the New York graffiti movement of the late 70's and early 80's. Iz was from the New York borough of Queens....
    , Fab 5 Freddy, Goldie
    Goldie

    Clifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an England electronic music artist, disc jockey, and actor. As a musician he works mainly within the jungle and drum and bass genres, and has helped to promote these styles globally....
    , Guru
    Guru (rapper)

    Guru , is an United States rapper of Trinidadian descent, and the lyrical half of the hip-hop group Gang Starr, together with DJ Premier. With his Jazzmatazz album series, he is also considered to be one of the pioneers of hiphop/jazz crossover....
    , DJ Red Alert
    DJ Red Alert

    DJ Red Alert Harlem, New York) is a disc Jockey on WRKS, and has been recognized as a hip-hop pioneer. Red Alert has been noted for breaking in such acts and artists as A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, and Black Sheep ....
    , and photographer Martha Cooper
    Martha Cooper

    Martha Cooper is an United States Photojournalism born in the 1940s. She earned an art degree at age 19 from Grinnell College, taught English as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, journeyed by motorcycle from Bangkok to London and received an ethnology diploma from University of Oxford....


External links