Sacha Jenkins

Directing

Sacha Jenkins

Born August 22, 1971 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Died May 23, 2025 · aged 53

Sacha Jenkins (August 22, 1971 — May 23, 2025) was an American documentary filmmaker, producer, writer, musician, artist, curator, and chronicler of hip-hop, graffiti, punk, and metal cultures. While still in his teens, Jenkins published Graphic Scenes & X-Plicit Language, one of the earliest 'zines solely dedicated to "graffiti" art. In 1994, Jenkins co-founded Ego Trip magazine. In 2007, he crea…

Known For

Louis Armstrong's Black & BluesLouis Armstrong's Black & Blues · 2022
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
★ 6.72022
MovieDocumentaryMusic
Never-before-heard personal recordings and archival footage tell the story of Louis Armstrong's life from his perspective. From musical phenom to civil rights activist to world-renowned artist, this illuminating film shows sides of Armstrong few have seen.
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed SullivanSunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan · 2023
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
★ 6.92023
MovieDocumentary
Ed Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his Sunday night variety show. This documentary spotlights the TV pioneer's legacy of equality.
All Up in the BizAll Up in the Biz · 2023
All Up in the Biz
★ 8.52023
MovieDocumentaryMusic
Acclaimed director Sacha Jenkins shines a spotlight on the life and rhymes of the 'clown prince of hip-hop', Biz Markie, best known for his Top 40 hit, "Just a Friend." A who's who of legends like rappers Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Doug E Fresh and actor/comedian Tracy Morgan share how Markie's playful approach to the genre made him a hip-hop icon and left an indelible mark in the world of music.
Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick JamesBitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James · 2021
Bitchin': The Sound and Fury of Rick James
★ 7.22021
MovieDocumentaryDrama
This profile of legendary funk/R&B icon Rick James captures the peaks and valleys of his storied career to reveal a complicated and rebellious soul, driven to share his talent with the world.
Fresh DressedFresh Dressed · 2015
Fresh Dressed
★ 6.42015
MovieDocumentaryHistory
The history of Hip-Hop / Urban fashion and its rise from southern cotton plantations to the gangs of 1970s in the South Bronx, to corporate America, and everywhere in-between. Supported by rich archival materials and in-depth interviews with individuals crucial to the evolution of a way of life--and the outsiders who studied and admired them – Fresh Dressed goes to the core of where style was born on the black and brown side of town.
Burn Motherfucker, Burn!Burn Motherfucker, Burn! · 2017
Burn Motherfucker, Burn!
★ 6.52017
MovieDocumentaryDrama
An in-depth and provocative look at the 1992 Los Angeles riots exploring the roots of civil unrest in California and the relationship between African Americans and LAPD.
Point Blank Period: A City Girls DocumentaryPoint Blank Period: A City Girls Documentary · 2018
Point Blank Period: A City Girls Documentary
2018
MovieDocumentary
Uncensored documentary about rap duo City Girls and their rise to fame.
Word is BondWord is Bond · 2017
Word is Bond
★ 6.62017
MovieDocumentary
This documentary film examines the transformative power of lyrics in the world of hip-hop music. Through dynamic archival footage, in-depth interviews and excursions with artists like Nas, Tech9, J Cole, Rapsody and Anderson. Paak, the film explores the many dimensions that hip-hop poetics occupy.

Filmography

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New Breed Documentary 1989New Breed Documentary 1989 · 2016
New Breed Documentary 1989
2016
MovieDocumentaryMusic
The New Breed Documentary chronicles a cassette compilation put out by Freddy Alva & Chaka Malik in 1989. New York Hardcore was undergoing a transition at the end of the 80's & this generational shift was exemplified by the bands that were featured on the compilation.The story of the tape is at heart the story of NYC & kids that grew up in it's five boroughs as well as related outposts in Long Island/Yonkers. A unique set of social/economic circumstances during the 70's & 80's forged the individuals that went on to make up the New York Hardcore scene. This full length documentary profiles band members/fanzine editors/record label heads & fans that made up this vibrant scene with narration by NYHC book author Tony Rettman. It's unheard of for a feature film to focus on an outdated analog format like a cassette compilation but it is through the eyes of these individuals that a spotlight is shined onto those tumultuous times & what is ultimately a tribute to a bygone era.