Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary

Directed by Alison Duke

Canada, 2000 (documentary, 72 minutes, colour, English)

Film Description:
"A gutsy doc that crackles with energy, Raisin' Kane takes you into the hidden world of independent hip-hop artists. Hip-hop has been embraced by the mainstream, but independents like Juno Award-nominated Citizen Kane still struggle for music industry respect. The public-housing projects where many young Black men come of age offer no economic power and no political voice. In the eyes of the kids who live there, that equals no future. For the band members, music is their only ticket out. [...]"
-- National Film Board of Canada (source)

Film Credits (partial):
Produced by:	Karen King-Chigbo, Louise Lore
Participants:	Jeff Duke, Nelson George, Michie Mee, Rob Paris
Cinematography:	Stanislaw Barua, Ricardo Diaz, Kim Derko
Film Editing:	Gordon Thorne
Music:	The Black Europeans
Production Company:	National Film Board of Canada / Office national du film du Canada

(sources)

Quote by the Director

"I made this film [Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary] because I love Canadian hip-hop and I wanted people to see what was going on. I also wanted other Canadian hip-hoppers, trying to make it in this industry, to see that they weren't alone."
-- Alison Duke (source)

Quotes about Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary

"Although the documentary's [Raisin' Kane's] unglamourous portrayal of the music business will be familiar to anyone versed in the trials and tribulations faced by independent musicians in this (or any) country, it finds in the Canadian hip-hop scene a particularly egregious example of how slow-witted the industry can be."
-- Ben Rayner (source)

"[In Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary] first-time director Alison Duke puts hip-hop music into its Canadian cultural context with footage shot in subsidized housing projects in Scarborough. There she captures hip-hop's street-level roots by showing kids as young as 10 exchanging rhyming lyrics to gain respect on the concrete playground. Duke moves the story forward and puts it in the context of Canadian music, and culture as a whole, through colourful chats with commentators such as culture critic Nelson George, and recording artist Michie Mee."
-- Peter Zimonjic (source)

Bibliography for Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

Rayner, Ben. "'Rapumentary'—Film tells the sad tale of Canadian hip-hop artists Citizen Kane." Review of Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary. Toronto Star, February 1, 2001.
Zimonjic, Peter. "Citizen Kane film salutes native rap." Hamilton Spectator, March 1, 2001.

Web Sites about Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary

"IMDb: Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary." Internet Movie Database, Inc. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279360/reference.
National Film Board of Canada. "NFB -- Raisin' Kane: A Rapumentary." National Film Board of Canada. http://onf-nfb.gc.ca/en/our-collection/?idfilm=33917.