The misogyny of contemporary, mainstream hip-hop gets knocked upside the head in this explosive documentary about the burgeoning underground queer hip-hop movement. Packed with raw, revealing interviews and searing performances, PICK UP THE MIC introduces us to 20 rappers from a striking range of sexual and ethnic backgrounds, who grapple with everything from political or openly gay content in their raps to the role of race and gender in the hip-hop community. Shot over three years byQUEERCORE director Alex Hinton, the film charts the movement from its underground Bay Area origins in the ‘90s up to present times, spanning to Houston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, New York, and London. Artists featured include Deadlee, Deep Dickollective, God-Des (L Word fans will recognize this rapper from Shane’s bachelorette party), Dutchboy, and Tori Fixx among others. PICK UP THE MIC captures a defiant and unapologetic underground music movement just as it explodes into the mainstream.

PICK UP THE MIC; Alex Hinton, director; 2005; US; 95 minutes; video