One of the most fascinating dimensions of The Godfather's pop-cultural legacy has been its influence on hip-hop. “Every major MC worth his salt has fashioned himself after Pacino’s Michael Corleone,” Vibe magazine wrote in 2005, ranking Coppola's classic one of the ten most influential films on the genre.
No artist has done this more brilliantly than Nas, the legendary Queens-bred rapper, who regularly cites the trilogy as an influence on his music—and peppers his rhymes with clever references from the films. In honour of this rich creative dialogue, we present Nas: Time is Illmatic, widely considered one of the best films ever made about hip-hop and a landmark portrait of Nas's life, art and worldview. Delving deep into the making of Nas’ 1994 debut album, Illmatic, and the social conditions that influenced its creation, it is, like The Godfather trilogy, a classic story of American aspiration and ambition, showing how Nas overcame insurmountable odds to create the greatest work of music from hip-hop’s second golden era.
Promotional Partners: Istituto Italiano di Cultura and Manifesto
Tickets: $15 (Members from $10)
The Movie You Can’t Refuse: The Godfather at 50: To mark the 50th anniversary of the film’s release, Hot Docs is presenting this specially curated series exploring the enduring mystique and influence of this pop-cultural juggernaut.
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