SPIELFILM Wild Style!

Wild Style was the first hip hop motion picture. Released independently in 1983 by First Run Features.The movie featured actors like Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quinones, the Rock Steady Crew, The Cold Crush Brothers, Patti Astor, Sandra Fabara and Grandmaster Flash. The protagonist is the legendary New York graffiti artist “Lee” George Quinones as “Zoro”. The film has received a large cult following over the years after its initial release. Highly regarded hip-hop albums such as Illmatic by Nas, Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sunday by Cypress Hill, Resurrection by Common and Check Your Head by Beastie Boys have featured samples from Wildstyle. Significantly, the MTA allowed director Charlie Ahearn to film in the actual train yards in New York City. In 2007, the VH1 Hip Hop Honors paid tribute to Wild Style in recognition of its influence upon the culture. The “Wild Style” logo originally designed by TRACY168 on the film’s cover was copied and applied by scenic painters Zephyr, Revolt and Sharp.