Season 1 · Episode 1
Coming out of France’s suburban ghetto, the first French hip-hop artists take the country by storm in 1990. Names like Assassin, NTL and IAM were politically engaged and ready to shake things up.
The mainly BAME neighbourhoods of Paris were places mainstream media didn't go and didn't talk about. So the local rapper's became the CNN of their communities. They rapped about unemployment, police violence, everyday racism and lack of a future. They wanted to be heard by the society that had pushed them to the fringes.
Rap took off: no longer a genre on the fringes of acceptability or even on the fringes of what is considered music: it was everywhere. It was on TV, and in film, and it stormed the charts with major commercial successes. But that left many rappers with an uncomfortable choice: stay true to their underground roots or embrace the mainstream.
The rapper is a social animal. He moves in groups and collectives, like Time Bomb or Beat 2 Boul. They're like famillies, only with a message and a vision. And maybe that family is necessary: during the height of racial tensions in 90s France, controversial immigration laws left many communities feeling under attack.
Every generation of rapper in France tackles the diffcult and sometimes violent relationship between the police and urban French youth. And in the 90s, it became urgent after 17-year-old Makomé M'Bowolé was killed by a bullet to the head at point blank range during a police interrogation at a police station, triggering riots.
Some rappers aren't content to work for somebody else. They intend to decide for themselves on their own terms rather than feel controlled by the record industry. They want to stay independent.
In 1996, after a law was passed demanding that 40 percent of the music played on French radio be French, the radio station Skyrock became THE station to go to to listen to rap, and its influence grew to the point that it was Skyrock that could make or break music careers. It's been a love-hate relationship between the commercial radio and the artists who need to get them to play their tracks - whilst resisting the influence commercial appeal has on their work.
Rap has grown mainstream; and in doing so, has it lost its soul? And which rap has value, which one is the authentic rap? There's socially conscious rap, gangsta rap, protest rap and poetic rap. But isn't true rap about giving a voice to the voiceless, and so intrinsically an act of protest?
2005. In the aftermath of the biggest riots in France since May 68, the political class has to find the culprit. It's not the unemployment, not the failure of urban policies for the past 20 years... the problem is rap, which is anti-France. But France is going to get rid of the scum, authorities promise.
French rap may not have achieved the social changes it wanted, but it is now a firm favourite on the airwaves. This is a cultural revolution: rap is chanson francaise.
The story of how Arcane came to be. Learn the origins of Riot Games' relationship with Fortiche Productions, the animation studio behind the series, and how the two teamed up to bring the world of League of Legends to life and create the animated series’ unique story, characters, and style.
2022
Behind every country song is an untold story. Country music super star Luke Bryan explores the hidden depths of Nashville in search of those stories. The series features never-before-seen performances by some of the biggest stars of country music as Luke uncovers the secrets, the hidden inspirations and the personal moments that shaped the music you love.
2024
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2023
This documentary captures the process of JOOHONEY’s solo debut album 'LIGHTS'.
The untold true story behind the Cold War race to put man into space.
2005
Explore the many ways New Orleans communes with its history - through music, food, sports, and tradition - revealing how, 20 years after Katrina, New Orleans is louder and more resilient than ever.
2025
Did renowned Dr Nandipha get embroiled in Thabo Bester's prison break? This chilling documentary series examines the enigmatic ties that bound them.
David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in this epic documentary series, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.
2006
Director Billy Wilder is interviewed by German critic Hellmut Karasek and director Volker Schlöndorff about his movies.
1992
The documentary takes viewers through Janet Jackson's life and career, contain never-before-seen footage, and feature home videos from the legendary artist. Jackson discusses her controversial 2004 Super Bowl halftime show performance with Justin Timberlake, her father Joe Jackson, the death of her brother Michael Jackson, and more.
Journey through the history of black representation on television, showcasing how black artists and creators both shaped and revolutionized the medium while confronting the systemic challenges that have often undermined their contributions.
Discover the chilling stories of five renowned international murder cases, featuring firsthand accounts from individuals close to each case and those seeking justice.
The story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - a child prodigy, a flawed human being and one of the greatest composers to have ever lived.
In interviews and rare home video footage, ex-FLDS members share the truth about their isolated community — and the events that pushed them to leave.
Uncover the darkness within the neon-hued world of Lisa Frank Inc., a brand that defined girlhood for a generation of Americans only to seemingly disappear overnight. Behind the rainbows and psychedelic illustrations, unravel a nostalgia-soaked, stranger-than-fiction tale that exposes the hidden toxicity that lurked at the heart of the company for decades.