OPEN MICS (OFFICIAL TRAILER)

The second decade of the 21st century finds the Greek hip-hop community the only thriving musical genre in this country. Despite the enormous crisis in the international music industry, an increasingly large number of hip-hop groups are emerging - groups who express contemporary social issues through simple yet incisive lyrics. Nikos Skarentzos' documentary will explore the realm of Greek hip-hop by allowing these young and highly talented MCs and DJs to speak for themselves through their music and lyrics. In a series of interviews he also probes these youthful groups' passion for socially conscious hip-hop. The groups discuss the future of Greek hip-hop and their role as the leaders of marginalized Greek youth, as well as their force in the battle against the new world order, wars, racism, economic scandals & the insufficiency of the politicians and the political system, environmental catastrophe, education, police brutality and police state, general apathy, prostitution & pornography, domestic violence, drug abuse and more.
The influence of Greek hip-hop in Greek society can be seen in the attitude of many prominent artists, writers, musicians, academics and journalists, who analyze their relationship to this musical form. They comment on the wit, self-irony and talent of young Greek rappers and examine the phenomenon of its popularity with the younger generation.
This documentary explores an extremely rich and vibrant musical genre that may have derived from a foreign source, but has found unique roots in the Greek improvisational oral and lyrical tradition.