Roc Raida

One of the nice things about this video diary of the incredible Roc Raida is that it's never about just him, focusing more on the success of his crew the X-Ecutioners. This DVD starts off with a year in review, which mainly consists of the turntable legends doing background scratch antics for the likes of Linkin Park and Jay-Z on shows that usually have ESPN or MTV logos attached. Somehow it's tolerable because Roc Raida and his partners are genuinely blown away by the fact that they're playing for thousands of people and showcasing their skills for the rich and famous. The hand-held footage backstage is both annoying and exciting, as the sound quality is rather poor and makes the X-Ecutioners' cuts sound too harsh, but it's also nice to see their friends barely able to contain their excitement as they film from behind the curtain. One of these events, an MTV Icons episode with Aerosmith, is awfully strange, as the aging rockstars watch the X-Ecutioners' "Walk This Way" routine during sound check and then we see a skeletal Steven Tyler try to define his role in early hip-hop to the boys with awkward results. Still, Raida and the crew are genuinely awestricken by his celebrity status. Of course, what would a scratch DVD be without a bunch of cats performing routines at someone's house? A-Trak pops up to team up with Boogie Blind for an endless back and forth battle in which the young Canadian wins hands down, and A-Trak returns later for a little comedy sketch with Horse, an up and coming producer and DJ who happens to have the head of a horse. The small documentary on the origins of Horse are more of what this DVD needed, rather than a very long and technical interview with a spaced-out Lord Finesse trying to break down his beat-making process, even though he drops an amazing break beat he found, making sure to not let us see the record sleeve. This third instalment of the Roc Raida series will definitely make you shake your head in amazement as you witness routines that you dream of doing in your bedroom, but some of the segments are far too long and some are a little dull. With a trio of episodes under his belt, maybe Raida and friends will start to piece together quicker and more compelling documentaries. Plus: bonus interviews, more. (Fat Beats, www.fatbeats.com)