One On One…with Frank Meyer

with David Kasheta, October 24, 2023

Frank Meyer has such an interesting and varied career that we thought it most appropriate to feature his latest creative endeavor here on Rock Never Rusts. We know him best from his outstanding work with bands such as The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, Highway 61, James Williamson & The Pink Hearts, Blind House, Thor, Anti-Fashion, The Anti-Virals and Warrior Soul.

We may not know his extensive and innovative work as Video Director for Tonal, Sr. Content Producer at Fender Musical instruments, Sr. Interactive Content Producer at NBC’s Esquire Network and G4TV. This award winner Director also     plied his creativity in the publishing world, as author on such subjects as The Ramones and Van Halen.

This renaissance man now finds himself behind the camera again as Director for the brand new documentary, “Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History”, which details the ground breaking hip hop scene from 2008-2015. Catch the trailer below and absorb this incredible display of creativity, emotion and collaboration.

We were able to pin down Frank long enough and spend some time discussing this new documentary, which premieres October 24 on Amazon Prime, YouTube Movies and Google Play. 

What attracted you to this subject?

I worked at G4tv, the videogame and tech loving network, from 2004 until NBC pulled the plug on it and turned it into the ill-fated Esquire Network. I was hired as a Content Producer and was working on a show called Attack off the Show when, at one point, my boss (who is now the producer of this film Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History) asked me to come up with a podcast idea to support the show. I thought it would be cool to talk to rappers about the science behind what they do. How they rap, who inspired them, the art, the techniques, and so on. I knew that not every rapper was a great freestyler, but I knew they all generally started there and it was a good jumping off point for a conversation about their music.

I shot over 100 episodes and right before G4tv got cancelled, I talked them into turning it into a documentary feature that would air on the network. So I had shot the whole thing, and brought in newer artists from that freestyle background — Open Mike Eagle on the West and battle rapper Iron Solomon on the East — to follow around and serve as a deeper dive into the lifestyle and culture behind the scene. 

But for a long time, NBC owned the footage, so instead we made the award winning movie Risen: The Story of Chron “Hell Razah” Smith, based on another rapper who appeared on the podcast, Hell Razah. Razah happened to be an old friend of mine (I was the publicist for this group Sunz of Man back in 1997), so when he had a brain aneurism and lost the ability to walk, talk and rap, we veered off to tell that story. By the time Risen was released in 2020, we had acquired the rights to the podcast footage and had begun making this film, Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History. So it’s sort of a time-capsule of hip hop from 2008 to 2015. 

What was the biggest thing you discovered that you didn’t know?

The battle rap scene is much fiercer than I thought, or at last it was when we were shooting in 2012, 2015. Iron Solomon was going at these rappers hard and it was like boxing, or gladiator arena battles. I knew it could nasty, but some of these things damn near broke out in fights. It gets heated and people say really fucked up stuff to each other in their rhymes. There’s an element of theatrics in it, or course, just like any other sport for entertainment, but the intensity and emotions are real. It was fascinating to watch.

What’s was the hardest part of directing this documentary?

The hardest part of this, and most other documentaries, is how long it takes. Between shooting the original podcast, the negotiations over the footage, making Risen in between, and getting this edited, and over to our distributor Indie Rights, it took over a decade. During that time a bunch of the artists from the film passed away. Sean Price, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Guru of Gang Starr, Killah Sha, and Gift of Gab of Blackalicious. They all appear in the film in some way, shape or form, but it was a bummer that they didn’t make it around to see the release. Especially Prodigy, who was so cool that he offered us his studio for a day to shoot all the rappers we wanted. 

In one afternoon, in one room, we had Ice-T, M.O.P., Mobb Deep, Shyheim, Trigger tha Gambler, Smoothe tha Hustler, DV Alias Christ, and Shabaam Sadeeq. Even Coco was there with Ice-T! It was INSANE. I really miss Sean Price too. He came on the show twice, once solo and once with Health Skeltah. He was such a great guy. We all fell in love with him. I thought he could have gone onto great things outside of hip hop. He was such a character. RIP to both Ps.

Chuck D narrates the doc, describe working with a veritable legend in the music industry.

I spent two days in the studio with Chuck D as he recorded the narration for the entire film. He was super cool, totally pro, and very chill. He has that amazing, commanding voice, so everything he says sounds important, yet he was very open to guidance and direction, which made it real fun. It was a trip getting to hear him read words I wrote. I grew up listening to Public Enemy, so I was honored.

(Photo below: Frank Meyer, Chuck D)

What would you like the viewer to be thinking after viewing?

I want the viewer to get an appreciation for what these great artists do. Rapping is every bit as musical and challenging as singing or playing an instrument. And I say this as a guitarist and musician myself. Watching a rapper who has mastered their craft is awe-inspiring. And watching a master of their craft completely improvise and come up with something brilliant on the spot, based on their surroundings at that moment in time. That’s magic! 

Watching Ice-T do a gangsta rap rhyme in the booth was like watching Miles Davis blow trumpet. A complete master of his craft right before your very eyes. But watching Myka-9 from Freestyle Fellowship freestyle off the top was like watching Houdini levitate. It was other-worldly. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen or heard in my life. There’s magic in hip hop music. You gotta look for it.

As a director, what’s a tougher task: working with talent behind the camera…or in front of it?

I generally haven’t had much trouble with talent on or off camera. I am an artist myself, so I get along very well with actors and artists. We speak the same language and I hope they see that I am always coming from a place of a love and appreciation of what they do. In that moment, I am their biggest fan and there to make them feel comfortable and confident enough to do what they do best. I give them as much guidance as they need and then stay out of their way. I try to keep the atmosphere fun, creative and collaborative, yet run a tight ship so everything gets done on time with as little drama as possible.

(Photo below: Open Mike Eagle)

What is your definition of success with this documentary?

I hope this film shines a spotlight on these incredible hip hop musicians. I would like more people to go support hard-working artists they see in the film like Open Mike Eagle, Iron Solomon, Ras Kass, Supernatural, Myka-9, Planet Asia, and so on. If those guys feel me they see more people at their shows, that sales have spiked and that a kid came up to them who first heard them in the film, I would be happy.

(Photo below: Ras Kass, Frank Meyer)

How did you prepare to direct this documentary?

My whole life of listening to hip hop prepared me to make this film. I started becoming obsessed with rap music college around 1991, the golden era, and although I always played rock ’n’ roll, I became obsessed with hip hop. I am an encyclopedia of nerdy rap factoids and details, and the musician in me is constantly fascinated with good sampling and DJing. So my whole life prepared me for this.

Was there anything or anyone in this documentary that you’d love to cover in more detail?

I would like to team up with Ice-T and make the definitive history of Gangsta Rap movie! Starting with School D and Toddy Tee, then Ice-T, Compton’s Most wanted, all the way through NWA and Cube, Death Row and up through The Game and so on. That’s what I wanna do.

(Photo below: Coco Austin, Frank Meyer, Ice-T)

You have such an interesting and varied career.

What’s next?

Freestyle 101: Hip-Hop History is out October 24 on Amazon Prime, Google Play or YouTube Movies. I just finished directing four new music videos by legendary punk band The Dwarves that are all off their upcoming new album, so those will be rolling out. 

 I also recently directed P90X fitness legend Tony Horton for Tonal, the digital weight lifting rival to Peloton, so that content is coming soon. Then I go back into musician mode. My longtime punk band The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs have new music out soon and are doing a European tour this Spring. And I play in a hard rock band called Trading Aces that are doing Spain and UK tours at the beginning of the year. I write, produce, sing and play guitar in these bands, so it’s pretty opposite of what I do when I’m wearing my filmmaker cap. Although I guess both gigs are just me standing in the middle and yelling at people! Ha!