Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

Actor Michael Rapaport’s 2011 Sundance documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest hits local theaters next Friday, July 15th. The film’s genesis began after Rapaport — an avid hip hop fan — saw the seminal Queens, NY hip hop quartet perform from backstage at LA’s Wiltern Theatre in 2008. Leonardo DiCaprio was in attendance and encouraged him to go for his directorial debut.

The resulting documentary  sees Rapaport following along with the group on 2008’s sold-out ten-year reunion tour, and also features interviews with notable artists who were influenced by their sound, including Common, The Beastie Boys, Pharrell, Mos Def and Kanye West.

The film enters limited release this week, but you can check it out starting next Friday, July 15 at Sundance Kabuki or the Metreon.

Watch the trailer below: