Five Reasons You Should See Ice-T's 'The Art of Rap'

Last night, Ice-T premiered his new film The Art of Rap -- a documentary steeped in hip-hop history that breaks down the technique and science behind rapping -- at a private screening held at New York's Tribeca Cinemas. Ice -- who makes his directorial debut with the doc -- was present for the event and, eagerly, answered questions from the crowd about his intent and expectations, which was to "take us on an intimate journey into the hearts and soul of hip-hop with the legends of rap music." Mission accomplished. Despite early industry rumblings regarding the few not featured in the film (most notably Jay-Z), Ice did an incredible job gathering a mix of obvious legends like Melle Mel, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and Grandmaster Caz while throwing in a few surprises like Eminem, Dr. Dre and Kanye West. Here are five reasons (not that you need them) to see Ice-T's The Art of Rap:

5. Amazing Quotables

Imagine having the opportunity to pick the brain of your favorite hip-hop legend. When Ice-T turns the camera on he gets some of the most classic responses, like Grandmaster Caz addressing hip-hop and reinvention or Kool Keith on his rhyming style: "I'm like the Russian Government." The documentary is chock full of one-liners and rap tales worth paying for.

4. It's Not Just a Bronx Tale

We all know hip-hop got it's start in New York, and Ice-T spends the bulk of the film in the Big Apple, but some of the best scenes take place when the rap legend-turned-actor-turned-director heads cross country.