It’s been almost eight years since the death of legendary street artist and hip-hop pioneer Rammellzee, who rose to fame in the 1970s thanks to his eclectic, masterful artistic skills built around the theme of “gothic futurism.” In conjunction with the Red Bull Arts exhibit Rammellzee: Racing for Thunder, curated by Max Wolf and Carlo McCormick, Red Bull Music Festival debuted a documentary titled Rammellzee: It’s Not Who But What on Thursday (May 31), celebrating the artist’s legacy.
Directed by Oscar Boyson and produced by Safdie brothers’ Elara Pictures, the doc begins by taking viewers to New York City’s subway, which became a source of inspiration and a canvas for Rammellzee’s graffiti work. The documentary features a bevy of artists like Kool Koor, Michael Holman, Torric Ablack (Toxic) and more reminiscing about Rammellzee’s work and the “energy” of New York City.
Rammellzee’s friends recalled the moment the artist decided to dabble with rap, which led to the 10-minute hip-hop classic “Beat Bop.”
“He considered himself an MC, which was debatable, but he did have a style,” Bill Laswell said. Ezster Balint added, “We were all not sure the track was cooking, but it’s all Rammellzee, he was cooking. He was so funny, playful, and pyschedelic and crazy.”
Rammellzee: It’s Not Who But What marked the end of Red Bull Music Festival New York, but the artist’s exhibit is open to the public until August 26. For more information about the exhibit, visit Red Bull Arts official site here.
Watch Rammellzee: It’s Not Who But What in full below.