Directed by
| One9 | ||
Writing Credits (in alphabetical order)
| Erik Parker | ||
Cast (in credits order)
| Nas | ... | Self | |
| Cornel West | ... | Self - Professor and Political Activist | |
| Pharrell Williams | ... | Self | |
| Swizz Beatz | ... | Self | |
| Busta Rhymes | ... | Self | |
| Alicia Keys | ... | Self | |
 |
Olu Dara | ... | Self - Nas' Father |
| Roxanne Shanté | ... | Self | |
|
|
Jabari Jones | ... | Self - Nas' Brother |
|
|
Angela Braconi | ... | Self - Nas' Elementary School Teacher |
|
|
Marley Marl | ... | Self - Music Producer |
|
|
Large Professor | ... | Self - Hip Hop Rapper and Record Producer |
|
|
Wiz | ... | Self |
|
|
M.C. Serch | ... | Self - Hip Hop MC |
|
|
Faith Newman | ... | Self - Columbia Records |
|
|
DJ Premier | ... | Self - Music Producer |
| Fab 5 Freddy | ... | Self (archive footage) | |
|
|
Leshan Lewis | ... | Self - Music Producer (as L.E.S.) |
|
|
Anthony Cruz | ... | Self - Rapper (as AZ) |
| Q-Tip | ... | Self | |
|
|
Pete Rock | ... | Self |
|
|
Knight Jones | ... | Self - Nas' Son |
|
|
Marcyliena Morgan | ... | Self - Director of the Hiphop Archive |
| Henry Louis Gates Jr. | ... | Self (as Skip Gates) | |
| Destiny Jones | ... | Self - Nas' Daughter | |
Produced by
| Tuma Basa | ... | consulting producer |
| Ann Bennett | ... | consulting producer |
| Allan Bey | ... | producer |
| Martha Diaz | ... | associate producer |
| One9 | ... | executive producer / producer |
| Erik Parker | ... | executive producer / producer |
| Eric Rigaud | ... | consulting producer |
| Charles Roberson | ... | consulting producer |
| Anthony Saleh | ... | producer |
Music by
| Brian Satz | ||
Cinematography by
| David Joseph | ... | (additional cinematography) |
| Frank Larson | ||
Editing by
| One9 | ... | co-editor |
| David Zieff | ||
Production Management
| Robert Warmflash | ... | post-production supervisor |
Sound Department
| Steve Borne | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Francis X. Coakley | ... | sound mixer |
| Matt Decker | ... | music & sound editor |
| Ryan Haffey | ... | sound mixer |
| Fiona McBain | ... | sound mixer |
| Daniel Nidel | ... | sound mixer |
| Eric Perez | ... | sound mixer |
| Daniel Powell | ... | sound mixer |
| Emmett Smith | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Donny Tam | ... | audio supervisor |
| Peter Waggoner | ... | re-recording mixer |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Kevin Akers | ... | first assistant camera / first assistant camera: Los Angeles |
| Romain Alary | ... | camera operator |
| Akeel L. Ali | ... | additional cinematography |
| Paul Arton | ... | camera operator |
| Jonathan Beattie | ... | steadicam operator |
| Nicola Benizzi | ... | camera operator |
| Malik K. Buie | ... | camera operator |
| Paul Callahan | ... | aerial photography |
| Dori Cohen | ... | camera operator |
| Kevin Couliau | ... | camera operator |
| K.D. Davison | ... | camera operator (as Katie Davison) |
| Thibaut de Longeville | ... | addditional cinematography |
| John David Devirgiliis | ... | camera operator |
| Jackson Glasgow | ... | camera operator |
| Nicalena Iovino | ... | first assistant camera |
| Ari Issler | ... | additional cinematography |
| Earl Jordan | ... | camera operator |
| David Joseph | ... | additional cinematography |
| Noelle Kandigian | ... | first assistant camera |
| Cornelia Klapper | ... | first assistant camera |
| Ben Kutchins | ... | additional cinematography |
| Petrushka Bazin Larsen | ... | still photography |
| Adam Lukens | ... | gaffer: New York |
| Antoine Lyons | ... | camera operator |
| Eddie Ojeda | ... | additional cinematography |
| One9 | ... | additional cinematography |
| Brian Outland | ... | camera operator |
| Hamza Salmi | ... | camera operator |
| George Tur | ... | first assistant camera |
| Bryan Wachtel | ... | gaffer |
Editorial Department
| John Kane | ... | additional editor |
| Don Wyllie | ... | digital intermediate colorist |
Music Department
| Wynne Bennett | ... | piano |
| Matt Decker | ... | music editor |
| Michael Furjanic | ... | additional composition |
| Gerry Gershman | ... | music clearances |
| Jonathan Powell | ... | trumpet |
| Tarrah Reynolds | ... | violin: viola |
| Brian Satz | ... | composer: theme music / musical director |
| Mark Tewarson | ... | additional composition |
| Robin Urdang | ... | music clearances |
| Scott Vener | ... | music supervisor |
| Ethan White | ... | additional composition |
Additional Crew
| Caity Arthur | ... | intern |
| Ericka Blount | ... | researcher |
| Shana Bourne | ... | archival researcher |
| John Breiner | ... | production assistant |
| Jasmyn Castro | ... | archival researcher |
| Patrick Clair | ... | title graphics |
| Danny Clinch | ... | still photography |
| Emilio Degarden | ... | production assistant |
| Angelina Feliciano | ... | production coordinator |
| Chris Fezzuoglio | ... | additional graphics |
| Coby Kennedy | ... | additional graphics |
| Luis Moya | ... | additional graphics |
| Brianne Myers | ... | production assistant |
| Fernando Ramirez | ... | legal counsel |
| Shakira Ruiz | ... | researcher |
| Bill Source | ... | researcher |
| Maria Luisa Tucker | ... | researcher |
| Harry Tuman | ... | additional graphics |
| Suhailah Yoba | ... | marketing and public relations: Consultant |
Thanks
| Matthew Akers | ... | thanks |
| Mark Ankner | ... | thanks |
| Orlando Bagwell | ... | thanks |
| Reed Baker | ... | thanks |
| Harry Belafonte | ... | thanks |
| Ben Braun | ... | thanks |
| Dan Braun | ... | thanks |
| Josh Braun | ... | thanks |
| Vee Bravo | ... | thanks |
| Anna Brennan | ... | thanks |
| Mike Brinkley | ... | thanks |
| Dorothy Clinch | ... | thanks |
| Liesl Copland | ... | thanks |
| Lisa Cortes | ... | thanks (as Lisa Cortés) |
| Tanya Du'Shay | ... | thanks |
| Michael Eric Dyson | ... | thanks |
| Samtubia Edwards | ... | thanks |
| Phat Gary | ... | thanks |
| Geoff Gilmore | ... | thanks |
| Sol Guy | ... | thanks |
| Andreas Hale | ... | thanks |
| Jermaine Hall | ... | thanks |
| Alexandra Hanibal | ... | thanks |
| Ryan Harrington | ... | special thanks / thanks |
| Lilly Hartley | ... | special thanks |
| Barbara Jackson | ... | thanks |
| Sacha Jenkins | ... | thanks |
| Betsy Jones | ... | thanks |
| Jarvis Jones | ... | thanks |
| David Karp | ... | thanks |
| Rob Kenner | ... | thanks |
| Alan Ket | ... | thanks |
| David Koh | ... | thanks |
| Sharon La Cruise | ... | thanks |
| Josh Levine | ... | thanks |
| Sheila Lynch | ... | thanks |
| David Mack | ... | thanks |
| Jim McDonnell | ... | thanks |
| Cara Mertes | ... | thanks |
| 'Lite' Khalil Moses | ... | thanks |
| Kia Muhammad | ... | thanks |
| Tamir Muhammad | ... | thanks |
| Edward Nahem | ... | thanks |
| Pedro Noguera | ... | thanks |
| Rohan Rambukpotha | ... | thanks |
| Andre Robinson | ... | thanks |
| Carlos Rodriguez | ... | thanks |
| Jose Rodriguez | ... | thanks |
| Leslie Rosales | ... | thanks |
| Franc Rosario | ... | thanks |
| Tammie Rosen | ... | thanks |
| Jane Rosenthal | ... | thanks |
| Lily Rougeot | ... | thanks |
| Nick Savva | ... | thanks |
| Rashid Shabazz | ... | thanks |
| Keith Shapiro | ... | thanks |
| Jae Supreme | ... | thanks |
| Genna Terranova | ... | thanks |
| Terenia Thomas | ... | thanks (as Terrenia Thomas) |
| Montana Triplett | ... | thanks |
| Roberta Uno | ... | thanks |
| Mimi Valdes | ... | thanks (as Mimi Valdés) |
| Darren Walker | ... | thanks |
| Kelly Walton | ... | thanks |
| Paula Weinstein | ... | thanks |
| Al White | ... | thanks |
| Rodney Williams | ... | thanks |
| Melanie A. Winns | ... | thanks (as Melanie Winns) |
| Bradford Young | ... | thanks |
| Jennifer Yu | ... | thanks |
| Gabe Zardes | ... | thanks |
