Episodes

  • Trailer

    Trailer
    Aug 10 2023
    How did hip hop happen? To understand that, we have to go back to before the ‘birth’ of the culture. It wasn’t a given that the Bronx of the late 1960s and early 1970s would be the birthplace of an American art form. Urban renewal had left the borough neglected and in crisis. Gangs policed the streets, and winding up in the wrong territory could have serious consequences. But things were about to change. Can You Dig It? is an in-depth history of how positive community influences helped inspire the troubled youth to end the cycle of gang violence, as told by people who were there at the time. It’s the inspiring true story of how local gang the Ghetto Brothers rejected calls for war in the aftermath of the murder of Black Benjie – a member who was trying to find common ground – and how gang leaders Yellow Benjy and Karate Charlie worked to broker a peace with rivals. The end result? A place where urban artistry could flourish into a global culture fifty years strong: hip hop. Narrated by Public Enemy’s Chuck D and told through a blend of immersive reenactments, oral history and expert discussion, Can You Dig It? is as illuminating for hip hop fans as it is for history buffs, as one of the great American stories. It’s a tribute not just to community action but to the unsung heroes who paved the way for greatness.
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    1 min
  • Episode 1: The Bronx is Burning

    Episode 1: The Bronx is Burning
    Aug 10 2023

    “The Bronx was the poster-child of ‘Urban Decay’.” - Hip Hop Photographer, Joe Conzo. It’s 1971: The nation is in the midst of its own wars: abroad and at home; New York City has been forsaken by the government; and the Bronx is burning. While the disenfranchised youth of New York City was consumed in gang life, one gang from the South Bronx - The Ghetto Brothers - dared to think differently. Shaped by three key influences from within their community, and by the brutal murder of Ghetto Brother member “Black Benjie”, the stage is set for their evolution from street-gang-to-peacemakers - and from peacemakers to enablers of Hip Hop culture.
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    32 mins
  • Episode 2: Old Enough to Die

    Episode 2: Old Enough to Die
    Aug 10 2023
    “There was a feeling of brotherhood and joining something where you belong” – Urban Historian, Clayton Patterson. For the youth of New York City - and specifically the South Bronx - hope was just another four-letter-word. Gang life was the survival game….and it was the only game in town. This is a deep-dive into the fabric of gang life unpacking that critical question: “Why join a gang?”.
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    28 mins
  • Episode 3: The Three Trash Cans

    Episode 3: The Three Trash Cans
    Aug 10 2023

    “The three trash cans became the symbol of youth struggle.” - Former Gang Leader, Cochise. A double-click into gang culture, through the lens of the largest and most-feared gang in the South Bronx: The Ghetto Brothers. To understand their philosophy and evolution from street-gang-to-peacemakers, we need to understand the people behind the ‘flyin’ cut sleeves’. Led by Ghetto Brother founder and President, “Yellow Benjy”, these compassionate, visionary and brave unsung heroes paved the path to Hip Hop.
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    31 mins
  • Episode 4: Imagine

    Episode 4: Imagine
    Aug 10 2023

    “Yellow Benjy was the height of human character.” - Documentarian, Henry Chalfant. This was THE moment. Faced with the biggest decision of his life - avenge the death of “Black Benjie” or break the cycle of violence and opt for peace - all of the positive community influences would now be pressure-tested and “Yellow Benjy” had to imagine a world of peace, without the street code.
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    27 mins
  • Episode 5: From Hopeless to Hopeful

    Episode 5: From Hopeless to Hopeful
    Aug 10 2023

    “The peace treaty made it possible for people to unite and get together.” - Black Panther, Joseph Mpa. The historic Hoe Ave Peace Treaty of 1971 is realized - allowing for the blending of influences and creativity, and clearly connecting the death of “Black Benjie” - and the peace-mission of The Ghetto Brothers - to the birth of a culture: no murder, no treaty; no treaty, no peace; no peace, no Kool Herc party…ya dig?
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    49 mins