52 Blocks: Show and Prove (2007)

Director: Kamau Hunter

As beautiful and sleek as it is deadly, 52 Blocks merits special conservation efforts as the United States' only existing native martial culture, as it is indeed, the jazz of the martial arts world. Across the African diaspora, there are manifestations of African-derived warrior-dances, capoeira in brazil, mani in Cuba, ladja in Martinique, pinge in Haiti- yet the US offshoot has remained esoteric, because it was suppressed throughout slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow and then obscured in the criminal justice system. The history, interviews and training of the martial arts style that created Breakdance and boxing greats like Mike Tyson.

Cast

Kareem Ellington

himself

Daniel Marks

himself

Devine Knowledge

himself

Reno Morales

himself

King Saladin

himself

Hassan "Giant" Yasin

himself