Audible and Hip-Hop Legend Chuck D Release Trailer, Cover Art and Episode Details for Can You Dig It?,  Releasing August 10

Listen to the Trailer Here

 

New York, NY – July 13, 2023 – Can You Dig It? A Hip Hop Origin Story has released the official trailer and cover art for the new Audible Original with hip-hop legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chuck D. The 5-part Audible series, debuting August 10 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, explores a rarely told story that led to the birth of a global artistic movement. Offering an exclusive sneak preview, the trailer sets the stage for an extraordinary journey, telling the story behind the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx during the early 1970s. The Can You Dig It? episode breakdown is also detailed below. 

Listen to the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE3vtNuc21U 

“December 8, 1971, was a defining moment in American history. A time when the gangs of New York laid down their weapons and redirected their youthful energy towards the creative arts. Arts that would eventually become the foundation of what we now know as hip-hop,” says Chuck D in the opening of the show.

Can You Dig It? explores the events surrounding the murder of Cornell “Black Benjie” Benjamin, a respected peacekeeper and member of the Ghetto Brothers gang in the Bronx. This series dives deep into the impact of his death and the subsequent Hoe Avenue peace meeting, where hundreds of gang members gathered to choose peace over violence. The outcome of this historic meeting laid the foundation for the birth of hip-hop, ultimately leading to Kool Herc's legendary Back to School party in 1973.

Narrated by Chuck D, Can You Dig It? features interviews with influential figures who were at the forefront of this cultural movement. Their firsthand accounts, including former Black Panther and peacekeeper Joseph Mpa, original hip-hop MC Coke La Rock, and renowned photographers/documentarians Joe Conzo and Henry Chalfant, provide an immersive journey into the political and social landscape of the time.

Also included is insight from the family of Black Benjie, who go on-record, for the first time ever: “If Kool Herc is considered the father of hip-hop, then my uncle was the general; my uncle was the martyr,” says Angelique Lenox, niece of Black Benjie. “He didn't die in vain, something good came from his death; his life mattered. This is truly my best version of a love letter to my father and my family and I will not stop until his name is a part of the hip-hop story.”

The mission of Can You Dig It? is to highlight a community’s resilience, the power of peace over violence and to uplift unsung heroes that changed the course of history.  It examines a period of transformation and instability in America and New York City between the late 60s and early 70s, and the circumstances and policies that led to significant urban decay and gang activity in the Bronx, including racist housing and zoning laws and the construction of the Cross Bronx Expressway.  

 

Episode Breakdown:

• Episode 1: The Bronx is Burning
• “The Bronx was the poster-child of ‘Urban Decay’.” – Hip Hop Photographer, Joe Conzo.  It’s 1971: The nation is in the midst of its own wars: abroad and at home; New York City has been forsaken by the government; and the Bronx is burning. While the disenfranchised youth of New York City was consumed in gang life, one gang from the South Bronx - The Ghetto Brothers – dared to think differently. Shaped by three key influences from within their community, and by the brutal murder of Ghetto Brother member “Black Benjie”, the stage is set for their evolution from street-gang-to-peacemakers – and from peacemakers to enablers of Hip Hop culture.

 

• Episode 2: Old Enough to Die
• “There was a feeling of brotherhood and joining something where you belong” – Urban Historian, Clayton Patterson. For the youth of New York City - and specifically the South Bronx - hope was just another four-letter-word. Gang life was the survival game….and it was the only game in town. This is a deep-dive into the fabric of gang life unpacking that critical question: “Why join a gang?”.

 

• Episode 3: The Three Trash Cans
• “The three trash cans became the symbol of youth struggle.” – Former Gang Leader, Cochise. A double-click into gang culture, through the lens of the largest and most-feared gang in the South Bronx: The Ghetto Brothers. To understand their philosophy and evolution from street-gang-to-peacemakers, we need to understand the people behind the ‘flyin’ cut sleeves’. Led by Ghetto Brother founder and President, “Yellow Benjy”, these compassionate, visionary and brave unsung heroes paved the path to Hip Hop.

 

• Episode 4: Imagine
• “Yellow Benjy was the height of human character.” – Documentarian, Henry Chalfant. This was THE moment. Faced with the biggest decision of his life – avenge the death of “Black Benjie” or break the cycle of violence and opt for peace – all of the positive community influences would now be pressure-tested and “Yellow Benjy” had to imagine a world of peace, without the street code.

 

• Episode 5: From Hopeless to Hopeful
• “The peace treaty made it possible for people to unite and get together.” – Black Panther, Joseph Mpa. The historic Hoe Ave Peace Treaty of 1971 is realized – allowing for the blending of influences and creativity, and clearly connecting the death of “Black Benjie” - and the peace-mission of The Ghetto Brothers - to the birth of a culture: no murder, no treaty; no treaty, no peace; no peace, no Kool Herc party…ya dig?

 

Can You Dig It? was created, written and produced by Pete Chelala, Bryan Master and Julian Voloj, of PB&J Productions LLC, a NY-based entertainment and content studio, alongside Channel Zero Executive Producers Lorrie Boula (PBS/BBC’s Fight The Power: How Hip-Hop Change the World) and Chuck D.  

Can You Dig It? will be available on August 10 – only on Audible. Visit https://www.audible.com/50AndForever and https://www.pbjnyc.com/ for more information. 

 

ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible content includes more than 800,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers.

 

ABOUT PB&J PRODUCTIONS LLC:

PB&J Productions LLC is a newly-formed entertainment and content-development studio based in New York. Their mission is to uplift unsung heroes from New York City’s rich history, through culturally-compelling storytelling. They are represented by CAA.

 

ABOUT CHANNEL ZERO:

Channel Zero is a full-service production company committed to telling the stories of unique cultural icons and significant moments in time, with a focus on elevating people of color, women and outliers across all media platforms. 

Founded by Chuck D and Lorrie Boula, recent projects include: 2023’s PBS and the BBC four-part docuseries “Fight The Power: How Hip-Hop Changed The World,” Apple's "Shattered: Story of The Knicks" podcast, Spotify and BBC Studios’ "Stay Free: Story of The Clash" and the Audible Originals "Songs That Shook The Planet" (2022). 

 

Can You Dig It?: The Full Story

Are you ready for the greatest American story you’ve probably never heard?

The Bronx, 1971. The story of South Bronx gang the Ghetto Brothers and their evolution from street gang to peacemakers - and from peacemakers to enablers of Hip-Hop culture - reads like a fairytale…or at least a fictional Hollywood script. But it’s all true. These ambitious, courageous and visionary young men are unsung heroes in the history of Hip-Hop…until now.

The nation was at war overseas and at home. New York City was under siege: dis-investment, urban planning, crime, poverty, oppression…and to the youth of these communities, gang life was the only light in a very dark tunnel. In a city of territorial disputes and gang warfare, chaos reigned supreme - hundreds of gangs with over 11,000 city youth in their ranks, ruled the night…all this, just 80 blocks north of Tiffany's.

But amidst the flames and unrest rose a gang that dared to think differently: the Ghetto Brothers. They were one of the largest and most-feared gangs, but they also operated outside of the normal confines of street life: why fight each other, when they should band together against the system that oppresses them? The Ghetto Brothers had a higher calling: to be a beacon of hope for their community. But they knew that change had to come from within. So, they decided to do something radical: they transformed their position of “Warlord” into something far more impactful: “the Peacemaker”!

But, on his very first assignment to de-escalate tension with rival gangs, Ghetto Brother “Peacemaker" “Black Benjie”...was brutally murdered. Now, Ghetto Brother President “Yellow Benjy” weighed the biggest decision of his life: avenge his brothers’ death or break the cycle of violence, by opting for peace.

The Ghetto Brothers’ decision would be guided by three critical influences from within their community: art teacher and youth advocate/mentor, Rita Fecher; community activist and supporter, Evelina Antonetty; and Joseph Mpa and the Black Panther Party. Spoiler alert: the positive influences made a lasting impression.

A week later, over 50 gangs from the New York area agreed to meet peacefully at the Boys Club on Hoe Ave in the Bronx, where Yellow Benjy and the Ghetto Brothers offered a truce to put down their weapons against each other, and work together to make their community better. This became known as the Hoe Ave Peace Treaty of 1971, and has a direct correlation to the birth of Hip-Hop.

The peace treaty dismantled turf wars, allowing for people to socially come together in new and exciting ways; allowing for the spreading and sharing of ideas, cultures, artforms and visions; allowing for social gatherings…like the party that happened on August 11, 1973 at 1520 Sedgwick Ave in the Bronx.

One of the key uniquities of Can You Dig It? is the unfettered and unprecedented access to our interviewees, including Joseph Mpa, the former Black Panther who is credited with the Warlord-to-Peacemaker concept; as well as ‘Black Benjie’s brother and niece, who speak on-record, for the 1st time ever. The scripted sequences also help bring to life and bridge together the critical story peaks in a cinematic and immersive way, like a movie for your ears.

The title “Can You Dig It?” is from a pivotal scene of the 1979 cult movie, The Warriors- a film inspired by our story's true events.

Can You Dig It? was proudly made in New York City and produced with a focus on representation, authenticity and accuracy. The goal of Can You Dig It? is to ensure that The Ghetto Brothers, Yellow Benjy and Black Benjie’s names are securely etched into the origin story of Hip-Hop.