How did hip-hop happen? To understand that, we have to go back to before the ‘birth’ of the culture.
It wasn’t a given that the Bronx of the late 1960s and early 1970s would be the birthplace of an American art form. Urban renewal had left the borough neglected and in crisis. Gangs policed the streets, and winding up in the wrong territory could have serious consequences. But things were about to change.
Can You Dig It? is an in-depth history of how positive community influences helped inspire the troubled youth to end the cycle of gang violence, as told by people who were there at the time. It’s the inspiring true story of how local gang the Ghetto Brothers rejected calls for war in the aftermath of the murder of Black Benjie - a member who was trying to find common ground - and how gang leaders Yellow Benjy and Karate Charlie worked to broker a peace with rivals. The end result? A place where urban artistry could flourish into a global culture 50 years strong: hip-hop.
Narrated by Public Enemy’s Chuck D and told through a blend of immersive reenactments, oral history and expert discussion, Can You Dig It? is as illuminating for hip-hop fans as it is for history buffs, as one of the great American stories. It’s a tribute not just to community action but to the unsung heroes who paved the way for greatness.
“The Bronx was the poster-child of ‘Urban Decay’.” - Hip Hop Photographer, Joe Conzo.
It’s 1971: The nation is in the midst of its own wars: abroad and at home; New York City has been forsaken by the government; and the Bronx is burning. While the disenfranchised youth of New York City was consumed in gang life, one gang from the South Bronx - The Ghetto Brothers - dared to think differently. Shaped by three key influences from within their community, and by the brutal murder of Ghetto Brother member “Black Benjie”, the stage is set for their evolution from street-gang-to-peacemakers - and from peacemakers to enablers of Hip Hop culture.
