Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap to be released by distributor known for martial arts titles

Here’s continued evidence of the cross-cultural influences between Asian and urban culture. Producer and distributor The Indomina Group just announced the North America theatrical release date for Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, the Ice-T-directed documentary that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

What’s so interesting about that, you ask? Because in 2011, Indomina, an independent distribution house based in The Dominican Republic, released the highly acclaimed Hong Kong epic Detective Dee and The Mystery of the Phantom Flame directed by Tsui Hark. Indomina also distributed Yuen Woo Ping’s martial arts thriller True Legend, starring Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Michelle Yeoh and the late David Carradine, as well as Teddy Chan’s award-wining Bodyguards & Assassins.

I think you get my point. An indie distributor known for snapping up rights to some of the most highly-regarded Asian imports today, has shown an interest in a documentary on rap music.

Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap features some of the rap and hip-hop’s biggest talent, including Chuck D, Grandmaster Caz, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Melle Mel, Q-Tip, Redman, Mos Def, Afrika Bambaataa, B Real, Immortal Technique, Ice Cube, MC Lyte, Nas, Dr. Dre, KRS-One, Common and Kanye West.

According to the company’s release, Ice-T is very excited about the summer release, and Indomina is working on an impactful and significant marketing presence for the film.

Paul Toogood produced The Art of Rap with Jorge Hinojosa, Ice-T, Simon D. Pearce, David Kaplan and Alison Toogood.

Other recent acquisitions for The Indomina Group have included the comedy A Fantastic Fear of Everything starring Simon Pegg, and the thriller Life Without Principle – the newest film from Hong Kong action cinema icon Johnnie To.

If all of that isn’t enough, the company is teaming up with Samuel L. Jackson to produce a live action Afro Samurai movie based on the popular anime series.