Where We're From: The Elements Documentary (2021)
6KWhere We're From: The Elements Documentary (2021). Where We're From: The Elements Documentary: Directed by Al Bonds, DJ Breeze. With Planet Asia, Soren Baker, Jeru the Damaja, Dilated Peoples. WHERE WE'RE FROM captures the rise of underground Hip Hop in Los Angeles during the 90s and 2000s told through Elements, a group of four friends that promoted a weekly club that honored the "elements of Hip Hop" – MCing, DJing, dance, and graffiti art. Part of a generation that found community and refuge through Hip Hop, Elements' audiences returned week after week because they knew they would witness craft and skill, something that at the time was getting lost with the injection of cash and promotion of negative stereotypes into Hip Hop culture by major record labels and commercial media outlets.
Directed by DJ Bonds and DJ Breeze, executive produced by Damon Bonds – the three founders and producers of Elements – WHERE WE'RE FROM is structured primarily in interview style with stories from artists, DJs, dancers, radio personalities, promoters and partygoers including live concert footage, MC battles, dancers & DJ performances intertwined with footage from the era, most of it never before seen.
Interviewees include: Talib Kweli, DJ Maseo of De La Soul, Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Myka 9, Ellay Khule, Medusa, DJ Rhettmatic, Mr. Choc, Cut Chemist, Chali 2na, Akil, DJ Nu-Mark, Evidence, Rakaa Iriscience, Immortal Technique, DJ Mark Luv, J-Ro of Tha Alkaholiks, Divine Styler of Scheme Team, The Soul Bros, Jeru the Damaja, Planet Asia, DJ Icy Ice, Asia One, Fidel Rodriguez, DJ MonaLisa, DJ Daz, Carmelita Sanchez, DJ D-Styles, Large Professor, Otherwize, Dotted Line, Seefor, Soren Baker, Orlando from Unity, Darlene Ortiz, BBoy Lil Cesar, Miles Tackett, DJ Rasta Root, AG from DITC, Dave New York, Polo Molina and more.
“This documentary went a long way in reminding me why I love hip-hop and LA. Like the genre of music, this documentary reminds me of grass-root movements that stem from a labor of love and morph into priceless experiences and friendships that live within you forever!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThank you for reminding me of why I love being in LA and why Hip-Hop is bigger than just the music!”