Backstage Documentary Opens in Theaters – Today in Hip-Hop

XXL celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with this moment:

Sept. 6, 2000: In February of 1999, Jay-Z headlined the Hard Knock Life Tour, which included performances from DMX, Method Man, Redman, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel and other rap superstars. The all-star trek was the highest-grossing hip-hop tour of that year. On this day in 2000, the music documentary Backstage, which chronicled the historic tour, opened in theaters.

Produced by Roc-A-Fella Records founder Damon Dash and directed by Chris Fiore, the documentary film Backstage offered an unfettered look at the behind-the-scenes antics during the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour. “You hear the music, but [you see] the things we do behind [the] stage—the feelings, the emotions, and all that,” Jay-Z told MTV News about the flick.

The Hard Knock Life Tour kicked off in Charlotte, N.C., on Feb. 27, 1999, and embarked on a 54-city journey. The trek was initially met with resistance from critics who feared violence would result from competing rap acts on the same stage. None of that happened. The multi-group hip-hop tour wrapped up successfully on May 2, 1999, in Louisville, Ky., without an incident of violence.

The jaunt generated over $18 million in revenue. During a post-tour press conference, Damon Dash dismissed the naysayers who had predicted the tour would be a breeding ground for violence. “People were saying someone’s going to die on that tour,” he recalled at the conference. “[But] there was no violence and no fights.” The music executive proclaimed it was the most successful hip-hop tour ever. “We set a precedent not just for rap tours, but for all music tours,” he stated.

Backstage grossed over $1.3 million worldwide at the box office, according to IMDB.com. Meanwhile, the accompanying soundtrack, co-executive produced by DJ Clue, was released and hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart the week of Sept. 16, 2000. Additionally, the soundtrack reached gold status on Dec. 4, 2000, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Watch Backstage Official Trailer Below

Watch DMX Scene in Backstage Film Below

Watch Def Jam Hard Knock Life Tour Highlights 2000 Below

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