Collecting new and archival footage of New York City’s gangs from the 1970’s, filmmaker Shane Nicholson has edited and pieced together a documentary on the culture of the city’s underground during that time period. Like a lot of independently made documentaries, funds are hard to find, so naturally, a Kickstarter program has begun and they need your help. Offering an insight into NYC’s rough period during the 70’s, the documentary also takes a look into the the birth of hip-hop culture.

Check out some excerpts from the press release below and be sure to watch the trailer at the end of the photo gallery above.

From 1968 to 1975, gangs ruled New York City. Beyond the idealistic hopes of the civil rights movement lay an unfocused rage. Neither law enforcement nor social agency could end the escalating bloodshed. Peace came only through the most unlikely and courageous of events that would change the world for generations to come by giving birth to hip-hop culture. Rubble Kings, the most comprehensive documentation of life during this era of gang rule to date, tells the story of how a few extraordinary, forgotten people did the impossible, and how their actions impacted the world over.

Rubble Kings is a feature length documentary about the New York city street gangs of the late ‘60s / ‘70s and their influence on hip-hop culture.

Independent and self-funded, Rubble Kings needs your help!

The movie is pretty much finished. Unfortunately we can’t release or show the film beyond festivals or private screenings because the music rights and archival footage must first be cleared. Being able to pay for the songs and footage in this film is crucial to telling this story accurately and in its truest form.