A repetitive streak mars this admirable effort to reveal the history and social importance of hip hop music. It is a problem that could have been eliminated with sharper editing and more focused direction. Still, this remains an appealing and unexpectedly honest look at a slice of American subculture by all those involved. Though told mostly from a male perspective, this covers all the angles, including sex, money, and crime, all the while displaying a prodigious amount of musical talent