"Even a great talent can crash and burn."

Rating: 7/10 (14 February 2016)

As a sixty five year old retired white male, I'm certainly not part of the targeted demographic for this movie. However since it came my way I took advantage of the opportunity because I think one can gain perspective from most anything that's new and unfamiliar. Without knowing a single thing about any of the performers depicted in the picture, I'd have to say that if one's goal for society is to improve racial harmony, you won't find a champion here. The idea that First Amendment freedom is the flip side of inciting people to violence and anarchy just isn't going to cut it with this viewer. Now granted, the portrayal of both white and black cops in the picture, if accurate, demonstrates that there are bad apples in all segments of society. The problem I have is that some proponents on both sides of the black and white divide see only all the bad, all the time, with no apparent room for compromise or reason to work things out. Taken as a biopic of the founders of rap music, the picture does a credible job I guess, but I don't see how it would inspire an appreciation of the music for non-rap fans with it's vile and disgusting lyrics.