Beastie bests: In 1986, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill became the first rap record to top the Billboard chart, and the trio from New York City went on to sell over 20 million albums. Filmmaker Spike Jonze shot the Beasties to new heights with his video for Ill Communication’s “Sabotage,” an homage to 1970s crime dramas that dominated MTV’s airwaves and its awards show in 1994. Still a friend and a collaborator, Jonze’s latest, Beastie Boys Story, is a reflection on the band’s formation and propulsive musical journey that features narration by Michael “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz. Virginia Film Festival adds to the discussion with Beyond the Screen: A Virtual Conversation between Cullen Wade, director of the Nine Pillars Hip Hop Cultural Fest, A.D. Carson, assistant professor of hip hop and the global South, and Jack Hamilton, assistant professor of American studies and media studies and the pop critic for Slate.
Related stories
Overflowing with inspiration
By Dave Gil de Rubio The ancient Greek playwright Euripides said, “To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter.” It’s a sentiment Paul Janeway, the namesake of Southern soul outfit St. Paul & the Broken Bones, can relate to. In 2020, fatherhood and the ability to create a musical message for Janeway’s […]
In fine voice
Some of Charlottesville’s most talented vocalists take flight at Songbirds & Divas. Ti Ames, Richelle Claiborne (right), and Leslie M. Scott-Jones stir the soul with powerful renditions of songs by Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Jazmine Sullivan, Destiny’s Child, The Marvelettes, and more. The singers perform both solo sets and as a group in a concert […]
Jump shots
Seeing is sometimes unbelievable at the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour short film screenings. Take to the mountains, the sea, and uncharted terrain as you ride along with the outdoor action, defying gravity from your seat while enjoying soaring moves and dizzying views. The event benefits the Shenandoah National Park Trust. $25, times […]
