‘Dark City Beneath The Beat’, Baltimore’s creative energy beyond drugs and guns

Baltimore is one of the toughest cities in the US. Approximately 10% of its population is addicted to heroin, suffers from one of the highest crime rates in the country and the disproportionate flow of money spent on this vice is the main source of income for thousands of people in this city of Maryland. Ultimately, the drug has become a way of life in this corner of the East Coast.

However, the documentary ‘Dark City Beneath The Beat’, film debut of rapper TT The Artist, without hiding the reality of misery, police brutality, inequality and the daily deaths in the life of this city, shows another prominent facet of the city: its vibrant creativity around the so-called Baltimore’s culture club, "the Bmore Sound" that sounds like a mix of hip hop and house. And this is the leitmotif of the documentary, how music drives the lives of many young African Americans who train to win a frantic dance contest.

With death so close, young people focus their energy on dancing and the power they convey is truly overwhelming. Anyone who thinks breakdance dancers move fast should see how Baltimore young people move, it almost looks like an Olympic discipline, a martial art, they’re disco ninjas, but they dance everywhere, including the streets, “we dance in the street because now we have nowhere to go”,say a group of young people.

In short, 'Dark City Beneath The Beat' is a musical documentary that can appeal to fans of urban rhythms, hip hop, club culture, choreography and the hottest dances and also to anyone who thinks that hope can be found everywhere and believes that music is a tool for social reconstruction.

Director: TT The Artist

Executive Producer: Tt the Artist, Rose DiFerdinando

Producer: Issa Rae, Deniese Davis, Astrid Rosero

Creative Director: TT The Artist

Wardrobe: Rose DiFerdinando, Alise Curtis

Director of Photography: Kirby Griffin

Additional Production: ATB Productions- Joey Malinski, Mad Queen Productions, Nick Gorey

Hair: Coya Brown

Make Up:  Coya Brown, Lucy Marie Taylor

Production Assistants: Ian Andrews, Dana Maurice

Music Supervisor: Marquis Gasque  

Key Cast

Uneek, CEO of Bmore Than Dance

Terry Weddington, Founder of TSU Dance Crew

Mighty Mark, Dj/Producer

Jonny Blaze, Dj Producer

TT The Artist, rapper

 Blaqstarr, Dj/Producer

Scottie B, DJ Producer

Special appearance by Rye Rye