Sample This

A political aide who leaves politics after RFK's assassination and moves into the music world, eventually leading MGM's soundtrack projects. He orchestrates the Incredible Bongo Band sessions, bringing top LA studio talent together. His choices help seed a new era of music through groundbreaking percussion breaks.

U.S. Senator whose June 1968 assassination serves as a pivotal moment that redirects Viner's career toward music. The tragedy is portrayed as a catalyst for creative risk and cross-cultural collaboration in the film. His death provides historical context for the soundtrack story.

Ex-NFL star and Bobby Kennedy's bodyguard who is part of the film's narrative. He wrestled the pistol from the killer during the assassination night and later appears in The Thing With Two Heads. His celebrity status illustrates the cross-section of sports, politics, and Hollywood music in the era.

Jamaican-born DJ who discovers the Incredible Bongo Band's album in the Bronx and pioneers looping breaks from two copies of the same record. His discovery is credited with helping birth hip-hop by turning breaks into a rhythmic foundation for DJs.

Narrator of the film, whose voice guides the storytelling and ties together political history with the music's evolution. His perspective frames the documentary as it traverses the late 60s to early 70s.

The group behind Bongo Rock and Bongolia, whose percussion breaks form the sonic core around which hip-hop's origins coalesced. Their grooves become the catalyst that later generations of producers would sample.

Interviewer and musical historian whose interviews anchor the documentary's exploration of hip-hop's origins. He provides contemporary context to the film's archival material.

Esteemed hip-hop pioneer whose perspective situates the film within the early development of rap and breakbeat culture. He offers insights into how breakbeats shaped the genre's early sound.

Iconic rapper whose memories illuminate how the Incredible Bongo Band's grooves fed into hip-hop's emergence. He connects the era's music to its lasting influence.

Singer whose experiences of the era provide a broader view of the music industry's crossovers and the soundtrack's significance.

Singer whose interviews contribute to the portrayal of LA's music scene and its influence on the soundtrack project.

Musician who contributed to the 1972 MGM recording sessions, anchoring the LA studio process in the film's depiction of the making of the soundtrack.

Break-dance crew whose presence signals hip-hop's performance culture and its street-level energy during the era's music scene.