Despite premiering to positive reviews in September, the Eminem-produced battle rap satire, Bodied, struggled to find a studio for a wide release.
“A lot of the major distributors didn’t understand it,” director Joseph Kahn told Vulture in November. “I heard Netflix just didn’t like the way my protagonist wasn’t really a protagonist—which is the entire point of the movie! I’ve had offers that want me to chop up the rap, make the protagonist more likeable. None of that is happening on my watch. But we’re close to cutting a deal.”
That deal has finally come through, as the film will get a theatrical release, followed by a debut on YouTube Red later this year. Written by rap battle champion Alex "Kid Twist" Larsen and directed by Taylor Swift collaborator Joseph Kahn, the film is "a satirical exploration of the world's most artistically brutal sport—battle rapping," as the synopsis reads. Critics have pointed out that the film delves into weighty issues like race and what our culture deems offensive—as well as some truly impressive rapping.
Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries.
