By: Patricia Trutescu

The indiewire.com blog, “Shadow and Act” announces a monthly film series exploring the integral elements of hip  hop’s culture and influence beyond the traditional four: the MC; DJ; Bboying; and Graffiti. The series opens tomorrow night, August 10^th at 7:30pm at Maysles Cinema in NYC with a film titled The 5^th Element. Maysles Cinema is located at 343 Lenox Avenue, between 127^th and 128^th Street, New York, NY 10027.

Additional topics at future events will include: hip hop fashion; the image of the gangsta; activism and hip hop; and hip hop as a collage.

This series is curated by Nina Watson Johnson, who offers a longer description of the series. She says:

“Hip hop is classically defined as having four elements: the MC, DJ, Bboying, and Graffiti. Those were the four clearly identifiable elements of hip hop when it first erupted from the Bronx in the 1970s. In the last 40 years however, hip hop has grown as an art form and culture that has not only swept the nation, but also the globe. Just as hip hop itself has expanded and developed, so have its integral elements. "The 5th Element?" is a five-part monthly series attempting to reveal and discuss these other "hidden" elements through the medium of film. The screenings will be followed by panel discussions of how these elements render themselves within and influence the culture of hip hop. Hip hop, as the classic four elements dictate, has always been more than just the music. "The 5th Element?" is an exploration of just how much lies behind it.”

“Shadow and Act” also provides a breakdown for tomorrow night’s event:

Part 1: The Sample – A look at the nature of sampling in hip-hop; its importance, execution, and function in the culture of hip hop.

Take Care (Remixing the Remix) – A compilation edited by Nina Watson Johnson, 2012, 10 min; a dissection of Drake’s “Take Care” which samples Gil Scott Heron’s “I’ll Take Care of You.”

From Mambo to Hip Hop (Dir. Henry Chalfant, 2006, 56 min.) – From Mambo to Hip Hop packs into one hour the incredible history of a community that fuelled a musical revolution. This film is a must-see for anyone with a passion for the music that’s emerged from the cultural melting pot that is New York. This is a story rooted in the South Bronx and it’s a tale told with both pride and passion.

Panel discussion with director Henry Chalfant, Queens Hip Hop collective, 85^th, and moderated by Nina Watson Johnson.

85th Street, a hip-hop collective, is combined of the rappers: DC, Ken-DGoD, Eleagle, 21 Quest & Matt Cronin. Together, they incorporate influences from the spoken word, battle rapping, and music showcases.

Henry Chalfant is an urban photographer and filmmaker. Watch the trailer of From Mambo to Hip Hop below.

To learn more about tickets and more information, click here.