Harlem World

When Ishmael is released from prison, he is forced to return to the life on the streets that he thought he had left behind. Determined to survive, he trains as a professional fighter, and struggles to stay out of the world of gangs, drugs and turf war.

Jazz: Season 1: Episode 7 -- When America enters World War II, jazz is part of the arsenal. Bandleaders like Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw enlist, taking their swing to the troops overseas. Many black Americans, segregated at home and in uniform, find themselves fighting for liberties their own country denies them. In a Harlem club called Minton's Playhouse, a small band of young musicians, led by Dizzy Gillespie and the saxophonist Charlie Parker, has discovered a new way of playing - fast, intricate, exhilarating, and sometimes chaotic. The sound will soon be called 'bebop' and once Americans hear it, jazz will never be the same.

Doubletime -- Jump roping has moved off the sidewalks and onto the stage. DOUBLETIME follows two disparate teams one suburban white and one inner-city black as they train to compete against each other for the very first time. The Bouncing Bulldogs of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and The Double Dutch Forces of Columbia, South Carolina are the two top American teams. Although they train in neighboring states, the Bulldogs and the Forces rarely cross paths as they belong to separate leagues that do not compete against one another. The Bulldogs represent the best of gymnastic freestyle jumping found mostly in white suburbia while the Forces belong to the inner- city African American tradition of Double Dutch. For the first time, both the Bulldogs and the Forces decide to enter a competition at the world famous Apollo Theater called the Holiday Classic. The film features four young athletes (age 11 to 18) who display courage, skills and charisma as they passionately prepare for the event. Doubletime culminates on stage in Harlem with this rowdy crowd- pleasing contest which features fusion routines where Double Dutch is blended with hip- hop dance and music. http://doubletimefilm.com

In this video, WatchMojo.com got a chance to speak with two Harlem Globetrotters about everything from their past to making the team.

Anton (Gabriel Casseus) isn’t like the other guys in Harlem. He is 28 years old and a little slow, but has a heart of gold and an extraordinary singing voice. Because of his deficit, Anton’s never had a chance to realize the dream that sets him apart in his working class neighborhood: to become a world class opera singer. His over-protective Auntie, whom he lives with, is unable to accept that Anton is no longer a child, nor that his dream of singing opera is serious. All she sees are the obstacles her nephew faces daily: his dead-end job as a laundry worker with a manipulative boss, the local drug dealer who enjoys exploiting the overly trusting Anton for his own gain, and the neighborhood children who mimic his slow speech and stunted walk. When two teenagers bully Anton because of his opera singing, Auntie, frightened for his safety, argues with Anton that he give up his "opera foolishness." But, rather than give up his dream, he runs away from home determined to find his rightful place in the world. Life on New York’s streets is hard and Anton is soon conned out of his money by Wes (Damon Wayans), a quick-witted street hustler. Homeless, he wanders the streets, panhandling in Washington Square Park, where he encounters Matthew (Christian Camargo), a charismatic 30 year old, playing popular piano tunes for tips. Anton and Matthew team up to earn money and gain exposure, but Matthew’s real intentions aren’t immediately recognizable to the trusting Anton. Only when Wes returns with a surprising offer to "manage" Anton’s career does an unlikely friendship form between the three men, each one trying desperately to change the course of their lives and pursue their dreams.

Synopsis: A Harlem prizefighter struggles to find his place in the world - torn between his loyalty to his thug cousin and the potential of a better tomorrow with a woman who offers him love and hope. USA - 2009 - TVMA

In the early 80s, Jesse Diaz was a rising star in the hip-hop world. Now he s a broke single father living in a Harlem shelter with two children to support. But Jesse finally finds a shot at redemption in his nine-year-old daughter Priscilla, a precocious and immensely talented rapper. With older daughter Solsky the family s quiet cheerleader, Jesse and Priscilla look to parlay P-Star s talent into victory for the whole family. And that means long rehearsals, late nights, and home schooling for the growing girl. But as Priscilla s star really begins to rise, it ll tax all the relationships in her life and test Jesse in ways he never expected.

Trailer for the animated documentary Junk Palace. When police broke down the door to the Collyer brothers Harlem brownstone in 1947 they found over one hundred tons of trash, making Homer and Langley Collyer the world s most famous hoarders. Junk Palace chronicles the brothers last days as recreated by paper puppets moving through handmade sets.

Positive Negatives -- A photographer with over half a century of experience, David Johnson has the distinction of being Ansel Adam s first African American student at the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), now known as the venerable San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). After graduating from CSFA David Johnson went on to establish his own studio on Fillmore Street diligently documenting the development of the neighborhood during the 40 s, 50 s, & 60 s. David Johnson combined his professional training as a photographer and personal interest in music to visually record the heydays of the Fillmore s clubs, dance halls and way of life. His work has been published in books such as Harlem of the West- as well as the KQED documentary The Fillmore. Another significant component of his work is his documentation of the civil rights movement in San Francisco, the NAACP registration drives, including the March on Washington. Included in Johnson s artistic vision was his desire to depict people positively in the presence of discrimination, thus capturing the emotions of the Civil Rights movement. His most published works are his images of ordinary African Americans, children and adults, going about the mundane routines, rites and rituals. He is likewise noted for photographing important African Americans. He has captured Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshal, A. Philip Randolph, ball player Jackie Robinson, poet Langston Hughes and musical icons Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt, and T. Bone Walker. In addition to the influence of his teacher Ansel Adams, he cites his mentors Minor White & Ruth Bernhard. His work draws upon iconic photographers of the 20th century, Imogene Cunningham, Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Edward Weston, and Homer Paige. Now in his 80 s, David Johnson still actively photographs his everyday world. He lives and works in the Bay Area.

Adam Richman visits world-famous Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, NY.

Trailer for Harlem Aria. Anton (Gabriel Casseus) isn t like the other guys in Harlem. He is 28 years old and a little slow, but has a heart of gold and an extraordinary singing voice. Because of his deficit, Anton s never had a chance to realize the dream that sets him apart in his working class neighborhood: to become a world class opera singer. His over-protective Auntie, whom he lives with, is unable to accept that Anton is no longer a child, nor that his dream of singing opera is serious. All she sees are the obstacles her nephew faces daily: his dead-end job as a laundry worker with a manipulative boss, the local drug dealer who enjoys exploiting the overly trusting Anton for his own gain, and the neighborhood children who mimic his slow speech and stunted walk. When two teenagers bully Anton because of his opera singing, Auntie, frightened for his safety, argues with Anton that he give up his opera foolishness. But, rather than give up his dream, he runs away from home determined to find his rightful place in the world. Life on New York s streets is hard and Anton is soon conned out of his money by Wes (Damon Wayans), a quick-witted street hustler. Homeless, he wanders the streets, panhandling in Washington Square Park, where he encounters Matthew (Christian Camargo), a charismatic 30 year old, playing popular piano tunes for tips. Anton and Matthew team up to earn money and gain exposure, but Matthew s real intentions aren t immediately recognizable to the trusting Anton. Only when Wes returns with a surprising offer to manage Anton s career does an unlikely friendship form between the three men, each one trying desperately to change the course of their lives and pursue their dreams.

The trailer for Gunnin' for That #1 Spot. On the corner of 155th Street and Frederick Douglas Boulevard in Harlem, New York lies Rucker Park. By appearances, the green concrete pavement, anchored on either end by its run down slab bleachers, is no different than any other basketball court in the city. But this is the place where nicknames are earned and legends are made. On September 1, 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation stepped out on this same court that once saw the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dr. J to compete in the first annual 'Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic.' Gunnin' for That #1 Spot documents these athletes' skills on the most legendary court in the world, showing never before- seen footage of that 'Elite 24' game. Directed by Adam Yauch (founding member of the Hip Hop trio the Beastie Boys and director of 'Awesome: I Shot That'), the film follows eight of the country's premiere high school basketball players on the fast track to the NBA, as they are adored by fans, wooed by colleges and sneaker companies, and groomed to be in the spotlight of the multi-million dollar game. Blending this next generation of b-ball players with a mix of raw hip-hop, jazz and break beats, Yauch s unique kinetic filmmaking, Gunnin is an explosively entertaining look at soon-to-be NBA All Stars.