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Rapper Goes Undercover to Shed Light on Plight of the Homeless in
"Skid Row"
Prakazrel Michel, better known just as Pras, was one of the founding
members of the hip-hop group “The Fugees.” But despite the fame and
fortune he has enjoyed since meeting with success as a rap star, he’s
never forgotten his humble roots, having been born in Haiti, and raised
in Brooklyn, NY and South Orange, NJ.
This
helps explains why in 2006 he decided to go undercover for 9 days
straight, living amongst the homeless on Skid Row, a 50-block area of
Los Angeles teeming with over 100,000 transients. With the help of
hidden cameras, Pras filmed the entire ordeal, editing the essence of
his experience into Skid Row, an eye-opening documentary which paints a
good picture of what life is like for today’s hobos.
Not
for the faint of heart, the warts-and-all production features graphic
displays of the denizens of this godforsaken environ, whether they’re
caught in the midst of private bodily functions, panhandling, avoiding
rats, or using drugs and alcohol. There’s even a scene of an addict
shooting heroin into his own clenched arm.
And
while I suspect that the current explosion of real estate foreclosures
might be changing the demographics of your typical street person, this
film suggests that most of are either substance abusers or mentally ill.
However, recent news reports of tent cities sprouting up in L.A. might
mean that a lot of Average Joes have joined the ranks of the homeless.
When
not worrying about his own safety, Pras spends his time bonding not only
with some of the unfortunates he encounters, but with the cops and
counselors assigned to the beat, and with a frantic woman looking for
her self-destructive son. The undercover brother conducts revealing
interviews at every opportunity, capturing a variety of perspectives
that add up to paint a very sympathetic tableau of a sector of the
population which generally goes unmentioned in polite society, the
proximity of neighboring Beverly Hills notwithstanding.
The
case of Mike Rodriguez proves to be the most heartbreaking. He’s an
addict whose luck seems to change when he wins $100,000 with a
scratch-off lottery ticket. But the closing credit postscript
regretfully informs us that he rented an apartment and entered rehab
only to relapse and die of a drug overdose.
A sage
reminder to count your blessings for, as Phil Ochs wisely warned, “There
but for fortune may go you or I.”
Rated R for drug use and profanity.
Running time: 93 minutes
Studio: Screen Media Films
DVD Deleted scenes, exclusive interviews, plus a commentary with Rosario
Dawson and the director.
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Lloyd
Kam Williams