VividSimon Simply Perfect

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Superunknovvn It's obvious that the makers of "Fear Of The Black Hat" had a HipHop-version of "This Is Spinal Tap!" in mind. The only difference is, Rob Reiner & Christopher Guest invented not only the mockumentary-genre, but also pointed out metal's silliness when it hadn't been that obvious, yet. In 1982 metal was relatively new, and the makers of "Spinal Tap" had already recognized its stupid side. They practically predicted every metal cliché that was about to come.Now, by 1994 the type of HipHop that's parodied in this movie was already on its way out again. All the jokes here about guns, censorship, racial slurs, Spike Lee etc. are amusing, but nothing out of left field. Just not very original or unexpected. What's worse is that a lot of jokes are directly lifted from "Spinal Tap". (One example: Spinal Tap have problems with their drummers always dying in freak accidents. In "Fear Of A Black Hat" the main group's managers tend to get killed "by accident".)So, "Fear Of A Black Hat" is to "This Is Spinal Tap!" what "Hot Shots" is to "Airplane!". It's got its moments, but it's nowhere near as funny or inventive as the original.

hokeybutt FEAR OF A BLACK HAT (3 outta 5 stars)Nice try at making a spoof documentary (a la Spinal Tap) but directed at the world of "gangsta rap". The film tells the story of N.W.H. (N*gg*s With Hats) and of their rise from obscurity to... even more obscurity. The movie is really fun to watch... the characters are well thought out and the music is great. The only trouble is... it isn't really all that funny. Sure, they are tons of jokes (mostly in-jokes about the rap world that are going to be pretty hard for future viewers to figure out)... but they tend to be more funny-clever than funny-hahaha, y'know? Of course, I laughed at "Jike Spingleton" but you almost need to be a hardcore movie buff to get the joke.Plus, the thing about the song parodies is... most of the so-called "joke" lyrics aren't all that different from what rappers are singing *for real*. Ditto for the videos... if you showed the "funny" videos side by side with some actual rap videos... well, you'd have a hard time telling which was the joke. Still, you have to admire the energy and style that writer/director/star Rusty Cundieff put intro this movie. I like it a lot... I just don't think that it's quite up there with "Spinal Tap" or "The Rutles".

Gilbert_Doubet You don't have to know a thing about rap music to love this screamingly funny satire about culture clash, the media, fame, hypocrisy and a lot more.A black woman (college-educated, oh-so-serious public TV type) is filming a documentary on a three-man rap group from the streets. Calling their mean selves Niggas With Hats (NWH), they're very concerned, at least while on camera (which is all we see) with maintaining their `hood' persona.All their managers are mysteriously shot dead while NWH are `out of town' (wink, nudge). Early on they switch from using family members as managers to employing Jewish white boys. Before the film ends, they go through six of these poor fellows.The dialog between the group and their middle-aged Caucasian record company owner is sidesplitting. With misplaced confidence, the businessman feels compelled to speak street talk in a doomed attempt to bond with his artists. We watch the astonished faces of our rappers as they listen to his ludicrous slang, which dates back to Malcolm X's time.NWH even puts out a Christmas album called `Ho, Ho, Ho's.' A rival rap group dogs their rise to fame, each outfit trying to destroy the other. NWH finally prevails, however, when it's discovered that the opposition's lead singer went to a prep school and even edited its yearbook. His career ruined, the antagonist and his crew are banished in shame.There's an angry Spike Lee wannabe and an opening act, Vanilla Sherbet, a bouncy white rapper who insists he was raised by a black family. The concert audiences are pimply white youth who ape the group's moves, clothing and speech mannerisms and for whom the rappers can barely disguise their utter contempt.Relating these details in no way spoils the fun, for it's the telling of the tale and the facial expressions of those to whom all of this happens that make the movie.No matter what your age or background, you'll be howling out loud through many parts of this parody. See it soon.

mark-lawrence Fear of a black hat is a hilarious spoof of Hip-Hop culture. It is just as funny as This Is Spinal Tap, if not funnier. The actors are incredible and the documentary style is superb. Mark Christopher Lawrence is a tremendous talent that should be starring in a lot more films. This film is a true cult classic!