Native Tongue Posse Members Relive Their Influential Peak in Upcoming Documentary

By Sameer Rao Oct 20, 2016

Put simply: hip-hop wouldn’t be where it is today without the influence of the Native Tongue Posse. The iconic late-’80s/early-’90s collective—which counted De La Soul, Queen Latifah and A Tribe Called Quest among its members—set the standard for self-pride and irreverence early in the artform’s existence. Several of the original members will appear in upcoming documentary "Speaking in Tongues: the Legend of the Native Tongue Posse."

One his Kickstarter page, director Omar Akil (BBET’s "The Message") describes the film as "a celebratory tale—told by the Posse’s original members—of what happens when a group of proverbial ‘new kids’ choose individuality over conformity to become hip hop’s new ‘cool kids.’" The promo video features interview clips with Native Tongues members like the late Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, as well as acolytes like Talib Kweli.

Akil will co-produce the documentary alongside music manager Norman Parrish, filmmaker Benny Boom ("All Eyez On Me") and photographer and cinematographer Ramulas Burgess ("The Woman in Black"). The filmmakers seek $48,000 before November 18, which will cover principal photography, animation, licensing and other related costs.

Visit the Kickstarter page to see the promo video and learn more.