CHILL THE FAUX OUT, PUNK STYLE

Sep 1, 2006 12:00 PM, Lori J. Kennedy

           
 

It's about that time! As Onksi and B Fats from I'm Chillin' would say, “Time to bust a rhyme? Time for Gertrude Stein?” Naw, Bizee. It's time for another Remix DVD roundup.

Speaking of I'm Chillin', bring out your inner stoner (or hang with your outer one; it doesn't matter) with the ChillArt DVD collection (Koch, 2006). Each ChillArt DVD (so far there are two of them, Aqua and White) features 14 films accompanied by original chill-out music to both “soothe and stimulate” you. Watch sea turtles float around in the ocean with their fish homies or see a Sedona sunrise — all from the comfort of your couch. Duuuuuude. Sweeeeeet.

After you're done chillin', stay tuned to your DVD player for some karate laughs with the Kung Faux series of DVDs (Tommy Boy Films/Dubtitled Entertainment, 2006). With the recent release of volumes 4 and 5, you can get yet another dose of your favorite series of classic kung-fu films that are recut, rescored and hilariously redubbed with the voices of hip-hop artists. Artists who've lent their voices to the show include Afrika Bambaataa, Biz Markie, De La Soul, Jean Grae, Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, Roc Raida and Crazy Legs. Get ready to laugh your pot-brownied ass off.

When you're ready for something a bit more cerebral, check out Afro-Punk (Image Entertainment, 2006), a documentary directed by James Spooner that explores race identity in the punk scene. The film highlights four black punk rockers and details scenes from their lives, in which they discuss interracial dating, exile and loneliness as they experience the punk lifestyle in a mostly white community. The DVD is interspersed with performances and interviews from a variety of artists, including Bad Brains, Cipher, Fishbone, the Dead Kennedys and TV on the Radio.