I like Dave Chappelle, and block parties are usually fun too, so I decided to catch the screening of this film/documentary. As Dave points out comedians and musicians have some mutual respect in that each wants to be the other. “Comedians want to be musicians and musicians think they’re funny.”

Anyway, the film gives you music and comedy. Comedy by way of Dave relaxing and goofing around with people in his hood or the musicians he most admires. He felt like rounding up his favorite bands and singers and putting up a party in New York – so he did. He also felt like inviting the local college marching band from his hometown in Ohio -- so he did (along with a few unlikely townsfolk).

The backing musicians provide a great blues/funk backbone for a mix of hip-hop, rap and soul. The artists and Dave himself are having so much fun – who couldn’t have fun watching? I’m not even a big fan of hip-hop – but I had a great time too. The filmmakers intersperse the “making of” the block party with the actual block party. This keeps the piece from being a concert film, and breaks up the grooves with laughs -- which works nicely. Overall, this is no slick piece of film work – it’s just some good old fun in the hood. BTW, 'basta' is Spanish for 'Enough Already!' That’s what is being said in that one scene, not bastard.

Providing music and/or occasional commentary: Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Dead Prez, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, the Roots, Cody ChesnuTT, Big Daddy Kane, and - reunited for their first performance in over seven years - the Fugees.

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