RUBBLE KINGS - A feature length documentary by Shan Nicholson

The story of NYC's 1970s gang subculture and how it influenced the cultural phenomenon that is hip hop.

Shan Nicholson creator of award winning Documentary Downtown Calling & The Kool Skool family has launched a Kickstarter appeal for his new Documentary Rubblekings. All Hip-Hoppers please spread the word, blog, tweet and donate if you can!
http://shannicholson.com
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/763217113/rubble-kings-a-feature-length-documentary

A $750 donation gets you a one of a kind illustration by Ricardo Cortés, illustrator of the #1 NYT best-selling "Go the Fuck to Sleep!":

Shan Nicholson’s work is a direct reflection of the message written on the walls of his childhood memories - “necessity breeds creativity”. His 15-year career as a music producer, renowned graffiti artist, DJ and filmmaker echoes this sentiment.

Cristina Esterás Ortiz is a Post Production Professional & documentary enthusiast. She got involved with the project after an emotionally charged screening at HBO's Latino Film Festival and has made it her mission to make this movie accessible to the public.

A BRIEF INTRO

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.

"The film's lively roster of former Savage Skulls, Black Spades, Assassinators, Ghetto Brothers, Hitmen or Turban Queens, expressively recalling and explaining gang culture, is matched only by its flood of down-and-dirty archival imagery." (Variety.com)

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. 

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Rubble Kings is filmmaker’s Shan Nicholson second feature length documentary. In 2009, Shan completed work on the critically acclaimed documentary Downtown Calling about NYC’s music and art scene in the late 70s. The film got an Honorable Jury Mention (Best Documentary Feature) at the Austin Film Festival and continues to draw audiences to private screenings. 

For both Downtown Calling & Rubble Kings, Director/Producer/Editor Shan, was inspired by the turbulent yet artistically rich period of his childhood in New York City. In Rubble Kings young adults take it upon themselves to move past the violence and help out their communities. It is a story of triumph amidst adversity that hits close to home. Rubble Kings continues to garner press and sell out screenings; most notably is a write up in Variety Magazine and screenings at The Tribeca Film Institute Youth Screening Series and HBO’s International Latino Film Festival.

We've gotten a lot of love from the art and fashion communities. Our friends at MG&HKM presented filmmaker Shan Nicholson with a custom Rubble Kings colors denim jacket for the premiere screening at HBO’s Latino Film Festival. Pledge $1,000 or more and you too could rock custom colors!

WHY THIS FILM MATTERS

We believe this story is too important to go untold! Rubble Kings is a film about courage, hope and survival against all odds, even in the harshest of circumstances. The message is especially relevant today, a time when gang related deaths are at an all time high among inner city youths. The film’s most important goal is to touch and inspire today’s at-risk youth.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Finishing this film is only going to be possible with your help!

• Support our Kickstarter campaign!
• Spread the word! Email your friends! Post to Facebook! Tweet it!
• Check us out on the web: Facebook, Twitter & Tumblr! 
• Help us get press about this movie and our Kickstarter campaign! Share these news with bloggers, journalists, etc!

YOU WANT TO DONATE MORE THAN $10,000!? YOU WANT TO BE AN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!? YOU WANT TO BROADCAST AND/OR DISTRIBUTE THIS MOVIE!? YOU HAVE GREAT OLD FOOTAGE OR PHOTOS THAT WE MAY WANT TO USE IN THE FILM!?

GREAT IDEAS! Please get in touch with us at rubblekings@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

REWARDS

Our campaign has the best rewards on the block! 

We've gotten a lot of love from the art and fashion communities. Our friends at MG&HKM presented filmmaker Shan Nicholson with a custom Rubble Kings colors denim jacket for the premiere screening at HBO’s Latino Film Festival. Pledge $1,000 or more and you too could rock custom colors!

T-Shirt Option 1 -  Choice of one t-shirt with a pledge of $75 or more OR two t-shirts with a pledge of $100 or more. Poster illustration by Freddy Anzures.