you fuckin moron. did you even watch the 5 part special? how do you write a critical article/review of VH1's presentation without watching it first? For example, "What's history without wu tang?" Vh1 did a whole segment on Wu Tang. HOw they came together, how Meth was the last member of the group, and how they're heralded as the greatest rap group of all time because, as a legendary rap figure comments, "every last one of those muthafuckers could rap." Go do your fucking research... and i don't mean reading a brief synopsis.

Um, how ironic. I would suggest taking your own advice and read the "Departments" category listings on the right. Under "Hip Hop Outlets" you will find five articles I wrote after watching each episode.

I'll file this one under "Contempt Prior to Investigation."

I work for VH1 as a researcher and writer. I am also a published Hip-Hop historian. Although I didn't work on this show, I understand what markets are at play. These shows that viewers take as 'voice of authority' are never meant to be as such; they, much like modern day top 40 Hip-Hop, are vehicles for product placement to specific demographics. Sad truth.

You want actual history, read, read, read , read. No commercials in books. Unedited interviews are first hand accounts.

For me, Hip-Hop started in 1969 when Grandmaster Flowers opened for James Brown at Yankee Stadium, and it continued not just with Kool Herc in the Bronx, but with Pete DJ Jones' work in MIDTOWN MANHATTAN.

Why include that info? Who does this info sell anything too? But, yeah, talk about Biggie for a long time, and you get more ratings.

TV is a farse. Take it for what it is, or leave it. It pays my rent, but I am not part of its demographic (read: consumers of its advertisers' products). Are you?

When I research for a show, I dig incredibly deep, and submit the info to the producers. The producers cut the show down into a narrative based on demographics.

So, yes, "we" are getting hired here, but "our voice" has no money.

The commercials between the show's acts ARE what TV is for. The rest is filler to hold you, the consumer, there long enough to view the ads.

Thanks for checking in Anonaman.

I would say that is also my own take on most television. I am vary wary of expecting much from TV.

For me, the show was mostly a counterpoint against which to throw up my own version of hip hop history, presumably more accurate, although maybe just more personal.

The reality is that 98% of people don't read the books written by the brightest 1%. We can tell people to read... but they won't. This is just the facts.

Not all televised music histories are done for profit. There have been a number of excellent music histories about jazz, the blues, and that excellent 10-part Rock and Roll history (covering rap, rechno, reggae, etc) that came out about 10 years ago. Most of these were made with grants and different types of funding.

Books are fine, but how can a two-dimensional page ever compare with an audio-visual glimpse into the life of an artist? Music is not about reading! It's about an auditory, and also a visual experience. Dancing! A thousand pages couldn't capture the feeling of one dance move.

America has completely revolutionized global music. We are smack in the middle of history's greatest musical transition. And yet we have only a few good documentaries to show for it.

A good documentary does not require a a big budget. It requires a few dedicated individuals and a little bit of funding. There have been some notable documentaries in the last few years (Freestyle and Scratch), but nothing on the scale of a definitive funk-and-reggae-meet-hiphop documentary.

That said, I guess you are probably right... even if this idealized sort of documentary were made... probably only a dedicated few of us would see it. For now, I'll just content myself with some piecemeal documentaries.

Please forward this to the VH1 production staff or writers. A tribute must be made to two great dance legends Sam Solomon and Don Campbell . These two guys invented the Electric Boogaloo/Poppin and the other person invented Locking. We must give tribute to them on the next show. I like to suggest for the Popping tribute you need to get this guy for the East Coast call Imperial Grand Master Faustus. He is amazing in live performances. ( * site www.mgmsop.com) He would be perfect for the Popping performance of linking the new with the old audience. Please forward this idea to the right people to make this happen. Peace

I am wondering if anyone on here who watched ...And you don't stop ft biggie and Pac. The very last segment of that particular show they are playing a song that I am having a hard time finding. It is very slow with very light piano and Nas and Jay Z are being interviewed with old clips of Pac and Big mixed in. If anyone can help me please post back. thank you.

I couldn't agree with Eric more. Let's talk real hip hop, real artists with real talent. Big L, Cormega, Quasimoto maybe they aren't mainstream but let's give respect where respect is do. None of these artists out there now would be who they are with out talents like Big L... I agree with your list of those lacking from the hip hop greats, and I, as a hip hop lover am waiting for a decent account of good music.

I agree with the original poster. The all mighty dollar makes and breaks the entire project. Mainstream artists are all featured and that's all we'll be able to get decent information on. The idiotic comments posted by the "No Response" character just proves how feeble minded the target audience is and the reasoning behind VH1's choice of information presented.

Does anyone have a copy of this taped???? I'm a music teacher in an inner city school and want to show it to my students. VH1 can't help me since it hasn't been released for sale yet. Please help