Patch Picks: Hip-Hop Doc Strikes a Chord

A Tribe Called Quest is a different kind of band.

When the four-man team hit the hip-hop scene in the late '80s, America was just beginning reel from “gangster rap.” But these singers weren’t angry or violent. They made “party music with a conscience.” Nearly three decades later, they are lauded as one of the best hip-hop outfits of all time.

But where did these guys come from?

Beats, Rhymes, and Life is a new documentary by actor Michael Rapaport, opening tonight (Aug. 12) at the Regent Square Theatre. Rapaport lovingly assembles interviews and concert footage to tell the Tribe story, and whatever your literacy in hip-hop, Beats provides a rare glimpse behind the scenes of a monumental band. Named after one of Tribe’s albums, the documentary describes their initial meeting, creative teamwork, and rise to fame.

But no music documentary would be complete without some personal drama, and Beats also reveals the artistic differences that burned their friendships. Phife and Q-Tip were friends since their earliest years, but competition made these two rhyme-masters suspicious and snippy. In the film, stress leads to backstage arguments and an eventual breakup. (Rapaport dares to ask whether Tribe will record another album, and the answer is downright uncomfortable).

Tribe fans will certainly enjoy the film, but for people with less experience, Beats is also a welcome introduction to alternative hip-hop. There have been several documentaries made about the Old School days, but none are as accessible to outsiders—Beats is more like Buena Vista Social Club than, say, Tupac: Resurrection. Unlike more brutal strands (Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg), and the watered-down commercial stuff (Black Eyed Peas, P. Diddy), A Tribe Called Quest holds a special place in the genre: smart, experimental, and full of life.

Beats, Rhymes and Life plays at the Regent Square Theatre, 1035 Braddock Ave. Mon.-Thu., 8:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 7:15 & 9:30 p.m.; Sun., 5:50 p.m. Info: 412/681-5449, pghfilmmakers.org.