Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World

***Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World*** is a four-part PBS documentary series that premiered on January 31, 2023. Developed by Chuck D and Lorrie Boula, it examines the historical, social and cultural movement of rap since the 1970s, which speaks to "the emotions, experiences, and expressions" of the Black and Brown community. It features voices from Lupe Fiasco, will.i.am., Ice-T, Fat Joe, Run DMC, and more. Fiasco was quoted in its finale, "Hip-hop is gonna supply you the theme song for the moment."

## Synopsis

"Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World" is an incredible narrative of struggle, triumph and resistance that will be brought to life through the lens of an art form that has chronicled the emotions, experiences and expressions of Black and Brown communities: Hip Hop. In the aftermath of America's racial and political reckoning in 2020, the perspectives and stories shared in Hip Hop are key to understanding injustice in the U.S. over the last half-century.

## Critical reception

Jack Seale from *The Guardian* praised, "Some of the greatest pop music ever made gets the respectful, rigorous sociological treatment it deserves—thanks to this documentary series from the Public Enemy star." *Financial Times*'s Dan Einav wrote, "Where the first two episodes celebrate hip-hop as a symbol and product of resistance and ambition, the series' second half broaches rap's reputation for inciting violence as well as reflecting it; for inspiring awareness but also promoting avarice and misogyny. There are efforts to be even-handed—and to give due credit to female trailblazers such as Queen Latifah—but these valid criticisms sometimes get lost amid slightly defensive points about the moral panic rap can provoke." Ed Power of *i* wrote in his review, "This was a political film rather than one merely about music. It used rap as a starting point to explore the African American experience through years of prejudice and pain. To that end, Chuck D had assembled an impressive line-up of interviewees with first hand knowledge of the power of rap. [...] *Fight the Power* is off to a gripping start, and with Chuck D overseeing the project, you knew you were getting the story straight from the source."

## Episodes

 2
 3
 4
 Chuck D, fellow hip hop stars and cultural commentators tell the story of how the rap industry hits extraordinary heights going into the new millennium, using its power and influence to effect change in ways that were unthinkable when the culture was first born - culminating in the global protests for George Floyd.

## References

1. ↑ Venable, Malcolm (January 30, 2023). "Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World". *EMMYs*.
2. ↑ Gee, Andre (January 31, 2023). "'Fight the Power' Misses How Mainstream Rappers Became the Power". *Rolling Stone*.
3. ↑ Seale, Jack (January 21, 2023). "Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World review – Chuck D is a brilliant history teacher". *The Guardian*.
4. ↑ Einav, Dan (January 20, 2023). "Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World TV review — from Bronx streets to Oval Office". *Financial Times*.
5. ↑ Power, Ed (January 21, 2023). "Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World, BBC Two, review: Chuck D schools us on a misunderstood genre". *i*.