With Latest Edition Hood Vision DVD Establishes Itself a Cut Above the Rest



Is it possible for an urban entertainment DVD to raise the bar in today's8217;s oversaturated, albeit successful, market Since its inception, Hood Vision DVD has set out to do just that. The release of the series's8217; third installment, Image Is Everything (HV3), solidifies the brand's8217;s efforts to change the face of the game. As the only DVD to use a format that includes music, comedy, street appeal, and creativity, Image Is Everything further separates Hood Vision DVD from the pack.

The tone of this film is set from the start: the Image Is Everything intro is a comedic look at the ever-present gun-totting, drug dealing characters featured on most urban DVDs, appearing on camera bragging about their illegal activities. 's8220;Don's8217;t get me wrong, I don's8217;t have anything against any of our competition,'s8221; says Queens, NY-based DJ King Smij, who created and produces the Hood Vision series. 's8220;A lot of them are people who I work with closely and have the utmost respect for. But I believe the fans need an alternative,'s8221; he continues. 's8220;And Hood Vision DVD is just that.'s8221;

Of course, being very much aware of the needs of his target audience, Smij makes sure to maintain certain components of what has made the Urban Entertainment DVD genre so popular. The Hood Vision crew assembled SRC/Universal recording artist Remy Ma along with boxer Zab Judah and others for a round table discussion of sorts about the origins of the best MCs. Former Roc-a-Fella Records artist Beanie Sigel steps in front of the camera for a candid conversation about his status in the Hip-Hop community and the future of his career. HV3 also made the requisite trip Down South to catch up with some of the young phenoms of the region -- Bad Boy Entertainment recording artist Young Joc, rapper/producer Dre and So So Def signee T. Waters -- and veterans of the Dirty just alike, with Paul Wall, Lil's8217; Flip and Juvenile sharing their thoughts on everything from fronts, to beef to the independent recording industry.

But even with the star power, HV3 finds ways to sway from the norm as often as possible. Image Is Everything takes viewers to L.A. not for a video shoot, model search, or even movie premier, but for a much nobler cause: the annual Power Moves Marketing, Inc. Celebrity Spades Tournament, boasting such participants as actors Mekhi Pfifer (ER, Soul Food) and Chico Benymon (UPN's8217;s Half & Half), as well as comedian Joe Torry. Additionally, the filming crew and on-air personalities's8217; ability to adapt to their subjects leads to quite possibly the most interesting moment in Urban Entertainment DVD history when comedian Donell Rawlings (Comedy Central's8217;s Chapelle's8217;s Show) uses his interview as an opportunity to make quite the interesting request to the people of Africa.

While Hood Vision DVD continues to push the boundaries of the Hip-Hop DVD market, founder King Smij is cautious not to change too fast for audiences to keep up. It is certain that as this series forges on, it will spawn a few imitators, effectively changing the game as we know it.

To view a trailer of Hood Vision DVD: Image Is Everything, please visit http://www.allertonburke.com/smij/vol3.html. For review copies, please contact Tai Saint-Louis at 678-499-8933.

Attachments: Image Is Everything cover





With Latest Edition Hood Vision DVD Establishes Itself a Cut Above the Rest