Dave Chappelle's Block Party - Palm Beach Post movie review

Five things to look for in 'Dave Chappelle's Block Party

You might think that Dave Chappelle's Block Party is a mere hip-hop concert video, or a feature-length forum for the dead-funny round-headed jokester to yell "I'm Rick James!" And if neither of those things floats your respective boats, you might be inclined to skip it.

Rogue Pictures

'Dave Chappelle's Block Party'

The verdict: Funny, sad and just plain awesome.

Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, Dante 'Mos Def' Smith, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli
Run time: 100 minutes
Release date: March 3, 2006
Rating: R for language.
See showtimes

On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require Quicktime

But you'd be missing out, because Block Party, filmed in 2004 in Brooklyn, is a combination music show, social experiment, tribute piece and giddy-fresh celebration of togetherness and positivity in Bed-Stuy, which, as Do The Right Thing may have explained, doesn't have the happiest of reputations. It's funny, sad and just plain awesome.

Here are five important things you wanna be on the lookout for. Because you are going, right?

1. Erykah wigging out: Erykah Badu's known for her beautiful African-inspired headwraps, but when she takes the stage in Block Party, she's replaced the flowing fabric for a different sort of heritage-related statement — the goofiest, biggest Afro wig ever. Watch it blowing in the wind, threatening to topple off in a mess of synthetic hair and drama.

2. Mos Def, keeping the beat: A poet, rapper, actor and just all-around fine brotha, Mos is actually competing with himself, as his Bruce Willis action movie 16 Blocks also opens today. But here, watch him play the straight man and provide the requisite hokey drumbeats for Chappelle's "Mama" jokes. I love a multi-talented man.

3. Cameo-ing ain't easy: Watch for a special surprise appearance from rapper Big Daddy Kane, of Pimpin' Ain't Easy fame. I don't know if you know this, but there was a rumor going around for years that he was dead, sort of like Mikey the Life Cereal kid being killed by Pop Rocks and Coke. Nice to know it was all a big lie, Big Daddy.

4. I'm with the (marching) band: Chappelle takes a busload of his Dayton, Ohio, neighbors to Brooklyn for the show, the most enthusiastic being the Central State Marching Band. Most of these kids have never been to New York, and watching them freak out over being selected by a famous guy to play in his show is priceless. Then again, when I was in college, I would have volunteered to go watch professional bowling if it would have gotten me off campus.

5. Well, hello Fugees! It's so nice to have you back where you belong: Block Party's most exciting prospect, for me, was the reunion of The Fugees, the most brilliant hip-hop/soul hybrid EVAH, after seven years of solo projects, headaches and general drama. I won't spoil it, but just know that Miss Lauryn Hill is back, and she's still got it. American Idol girlees? This is how it's done.