
Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
Rhyme & Reason
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Relevant hip-hop docu; language, some drug use and talk.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rhyme & Reason
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
RHYME & REASON is a documentary that takes a look at the state of hip-hop in the mid-1990s -- where it has been, and where it seems to be going. It includes interviews with hip-hop pioneers like Kurtis Blow and Ice-T, as well as successful artists like Salt-n-Pepa, KRS One, and Sean P. Diddy Combs. It also includes interviews with gone-but-not-forgotten icons like Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. The documentary discusses rap and hip-hop's origins in the South Bronx, and how the music spread to the West Coast, and how, despite assertions by some in the 1980s that hip-hop was just a passing fad, it had grown by the turn of the 20th century into a multi-billion-dollar phenomenon. Interviewees also discuss their backgrounds, communities, and how what they've directly experienced comes through in the lyrics of their songs.
Is It Any Good?
This is an interesting capsule of a time and place that's still relevant in both good and bad ways. Rhyme & Reason is a documentary on hip-hop artists from 1997 that interviews many now-legends who were in the prime of their careers, as well as some who died much too soon. It's a fascinating time in that hip-hop had clearly moved beyond the "fad" some had predicted it to be when rap first emerged on the national stage with acts like Run DMC in the 1980s, and had, like punk around the same time, become an industry and culture unto itself that still had "street cred" even as it was becoming a multi-billion-dollar global phenomenon. Success, and not entirely expected success, is also a topic that comes up with some of the more successful artists, as they talk of loyalty to where they're from while having the financial freedom to live wherever they please.
As said above, it's also sadly relevant in other ways. Institutional racism, racism directly experienced, gun violence, crime, the strained relations between communities of color and the police -- these topics come up time and time again in the documentary, topics obviously still discussed so many years later in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter movement. Rhyme & Reason manages to cover a lot of ground and interview a wide array of artists in a little over 90 minutes, and while perhaps some of it isn't saying anything new that hip-hop fans don't already know, it's still a solid documentation of the state of hip-hop on the verge of the turn of the 20th century.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about music documentaries like Rhyme & Reason. How is this similar to and different from other music documentaries you've seen?
While this documentary came out in 1997, what are some of the ways in which it's relevant to today's world?
What has changed in hip-hop music and culture since this movie was released? What has stayed the same?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 5, 1997
- On DVD or streaming: November 8, 2012
- Cast: Ice-T , Dr. Dre , Da Brat
- Director: Peter Spirer
- Inclusion Information: Black actors, Female actors, Lesbian actors
- Studio: Miramax
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate