New Documentary, ‘Microphone Check,’ Tells the Hidden History of Hip Hop, Features Unsung Pioneers 

Detroit native Tariq Nasheed (also known as “Tariq Elite,” “King Flex,” or “K-Flex” )left home at a young age, first moving to Birmingham, Alabama, and then, at 17, to Los Angeles, hoping to make his dreams come true. 

Now the respected author, actor, fashion designer, producer, and author of the New York Times best-seller, “The Art of Mackin,” in which he provides dating techniques that he learned from older hustles with whom he once interacted while on the streets of LA, has another hit on his hands. 

During the recent Memorial Day weekend, Nasheed’s groundbreaking documentary, “Microphone Check: The Hidden History of Hip Hop,” hit theaters across the U.S., including New York City, where more than 1,000 people attended the premiere. 

He said that due to its success, the documentary has returned to various Landmark Theatres in select cities for a one-week run – at the least – which kicked off on Monday, July 15. 

“Microphone Check” offers a unique opportunity to hear from an incredible ensemble of early hip-hop pioneers, including Coke La Rock, Trixie and Sasa, Sha Rock, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, and many more. In the documentary, they share firsthand accounts and insights into the birth and evolution of hip-hop. 

Nasheed, an avid hip-hop fan, said his goal was “to dispel myths like the narrative that hip-hop was created by the three founding fathers, Kool DJ Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash.” 

“That’s what people have been saying for more than 30 years, and it’s simply not true,” he said. “Hip hop was created by several people – a lot of people – and I wanted to let them tell their real story.”

Reviews of the documentary acknowledge that it offers a comprehensive and accurate account of hip-hop’s history through compelling interviews, rare footage, and historical context. 

Words from Tariq Nasheed 

“It’s all about getting the original people and letting them speak, and some in the documentary were among the first in hip hop – like the first female rapper, Sha Rock (1976), and the first breakdancer Trixie,” Nasheed said. “Some of the people featured in the documentary have been acknowledged to some extent for their contributions, but many were never recognized nationally. 

“For the most part, folks have tended to say hip hop was started by Blacks and Latinos and left it at that. We’re clearing that up. For example, Taki 183 is often credited as the first graffiti artist (1971, NYC), but it can be traced back to Philadelphia with a Black man named Cornbread in 1965,” he said. 

“Microphone Check” is not Nasheed’s first attempt at filmmaking, but he said it represents a story that he has wanted to tell for a long time. 

“I earlier created a series, “Hidden Colors,” an untold Black history story that tells our history on a global scale. “Another project I’ve done is “1804,” which traces the history of Haiti,” he said.“This time, because I am such a huge hip-hop fan, I wanted to focus on the origins of hip-hop. Hip hop is a hot topic and will be part of the Olympics, with Snoop Dogg, who NBC has hired as a special correspondent in Paris. 

“Also, it’s election season, and politicians are reaching out to hip-hop artists because it has become so commercialized. I wanted to put the history of hip hop in the proper perspective and make sure I got it right,” he said. 

When asked if the documentary will contain “ah-ha” moments that may surprise viewers, Nasheed was quick to respond. 

“Sure, plenty of them,” he said. “Look – we (Blacks) were creating and showcasing many of the elements of hip hop way before the 70s. Even the term and the style now referred to as “rap” originated in our community. As for the Bronx being the birthplace of hip hop, you have to remember that young people living there in the 60s and 70s were dealing with gangs and drugs and needed something to counteract the circumstances around them. Hip hop gave them a way to express themselves – to tell their story in multiple ways,” Nasheed said. 

[NOTE: Readers may recall that Snoop Dogg joined Kevin Hart on Peacock during the last Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021 during which a clip of Snoop saying a horse in the dressage competition looked like he was doing the crip walk went viral].