InstaRapFlix 7: C-Murder: Straight from the Projects

C-Murder: Straight from the Projects - Rappers That Live the Lyrics (Netflix rating: 1 star), is the sequel to M.O.P.: Straight from the Projects - Rappers That Live the Lyrics. They've really improved since the last one... nearly every problem I had with M.O.P.'s flick is gone here. Each segment seems to be in the film for a reason. They seem to have found the balance between the music video clips and the documentary footage.

And they replace B-Real with new host Ice-T. Some of the lines he spits are pretty corny (he starts the film off by pointing out, "now we know that the first four letters of reality are real."), but he really comes off like he knows what he's saying and why he's there. He does also occasionally imply that he was on location with C-Murder during the filming when he clearly wasn't, but he's easily an infinitely more qualified host than B-Real was.

The film is pretty simple (and short again, 47 minutes including credits): C-Murder visits the projects in CP3 where he grew up and then drops by some other relevant spots in New Orleans: his studio, a Mardi Gras party, which really just plays like a shameless attempt to show some topless girl footage, but what the heck) and a record store where he got his start. He talks with pretty much whoever he comes across (several of whom get R.I.P. notices for being killed by gunfire after the filming).

There aren't a lot of celebrity cameos from even his No Limit family like you might expect (Master P is his brother, for gosh sake!), though Soulja Slim puts in an appearance for a minute towards the end. Unlike the M.O.P. movie, this one doesn't feel drawn out at all; it's pretty compelling (at one point they even have to leave the scene of an interview when gunshots break out).

So even coming in as a non-C-Murder fan, this one's worth checking out. Another sequel is due out this year starring Trick Daddy (no word on who the host will be), so I'm hoping Netflix will pick it up and offer it for Instant Viewing once it drops, too.