Dave Chappelle and Michael Gondry execute arguably the best live hip-hop, neo-soul music event ever on film. It's 2004. Chappelle is at the height of his fame as the host of the Chappelle's Show. Block Party takes place in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, but highlights parts of Fort Greene and Bed-Stuy pre-gentrification. An incredible roster of musicians grace the stage: Kanye West, Common, John Legend, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Jill Scott, and Big Daddy Kane. Columbia Records wouldn’t give Lauren Hill the rights to perform her songs in the documentary, so she brought The Fugees back together for a short, but monumental reunion. The film feels feels loose, messy even, as does the block party itself. But the energy and love feel true and alive even 15 years later. Fun fact: A young, beardless J. Cole can be spotted in the audience.
