Rubble Kings Gets Cinematic With Mixtape

Sammy Needlz Rubble Kings Mixtape

Shan Nicholson’s documentary Rubble Kings takes viewers into the world of 1970’s New York City gang culture. Nicholson transports you into the lives of the youth that created Hip Hop and shows you the world that created the international movement. Now an audio companion to the film has been released. Put together by Sammy Needlz, Rok One, DJ Tahleim, and the film’s director Shan Nicholson, this mix gives you a tutorial of the foundation of Hip Hop.

Director Shan Nicholson explains his inspiration for the film

I was instantly drawn to the story behind Rubble Kings. It was the backdrop to all Iknew as a kid growing up in New York City during the 1980s. Hip-hop was my world- it was a movement growing on every stoop in every borough throughout the city. As kids, we would hear the echoes of generations past and the stories of the outlaw gangs that ruled the streets. Looking back, the tales seemed almost folkloric in nature filled with names like the Savage Skulls, Seven Immortals, and the Black Spades. We had no idea that these gangs played such an integral part in the birth of our generation’s song.Later in life, I started producing music and DJ’ing throughout the city. Record collecting became a daily ritual. On one of thesemissions, I ran into one of the holy grails of record collecting- a Latin funk album called “Power Fuerza” by the GhettoBrothers. Not only was the music amazing, their story would haunt me for months to come. The fact that The Ghetto Brothers chose peace over violence after the death of one of their own brother’s resonated with me deeply. I too had lost my best friend to an act of senseless violence. It shattered my world and here I was faced with this story of extraordinary courage in the face of adversity. I knew I had to tell this story.

Take a trip back to the days before Metro cards below when you jump into the stream.

DOWNLOAD HERE

“Rubble Kings” The Mixtape by Sammy Needlz on Mixcloud