New Documentary 'We Were Hyphy' Highlights Rise of a Bay Area Hip-Hop Movement

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A documentary that takes a look back at the rise of a remarkable hip-hop subculture in the Bay Area two decades ago, the new film "We Were Hyphy" is set to be screened as part of the virtual online edition of Cinequest starting April 1st.

A musical movement that came from the streets of Oakland and other parts of the Bay Area in the early 2000s, the Hyphy movement encompassed music, dance, car culture and even a new style of slang. Iconic artists like Oakland hip-hop godfather Too $hort, Hyphy originator Mac Dre and Vallejo legend E-40 were credited with laying the groundwork for a new type of hip-hop indigenous to the Bay.

The new documentary looks at the dances, fashions, and culture spawned by Hyphy, examining the genesis of the movement, the rise of such legendary local figures as Keak da Sneak and Mistah FAB and the influence Hyphy had on modern-day artists including Kamaiyah, G-Eazy and Rafael Casal.

In the above interview, KPIX 5's Gianna Franco talks to director Laurence Madrigal and producer Jason O'Mahony about the documentary and the Hyphy movement. The film is seeing it's virtual premiere as part of Cinequest.

Additional information on the film can be found at the documentary's official website.