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Poster for The Great Hip Hop Hoax

The Great Hip Hop Hoax

Seen it?

2013 | 92 min | Documentary, Comedy, Music

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Aimed squarely at anyone who likes a story with a soundtrack worth keeping and people who need a good giggle. The music is woven into the story, not just laid on top.
The mood
Light and funny, eye-opening.
The pace
Moves through the story clearly, at 1 hr 32 min.
What might put you off
Skip it if you want made-up drama tonight.

GET RICH OR TRY LYING Foul-mouthed Californian hip hop duo Silibil n' Brains were going to be massive. But no-one knew the pair were really amiable Scotsmen, with fake American accents and made up identities. This documentary tells the audacious tale of how two lads from Dundee duped the record industry and nearly destroyed themselves. When their promising Scottish rap act was branded 'the rapping Proclaimers' by a scornful record industry, friends Billy Boyd and Gavin Bain reinvented themselves as Los Angeles homeboys. The lie was their golden ticket to a record deal and a dream celebrity life. A stranger-than-fiction true account of fractured friendship, the pressure of living with lies and the legacy of faking everything in the desperate pursuit of fame. Truth, lies and the legacy of faking everything in the desperate pursuit of fame.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    89% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerWeak

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 35K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Jeanie Finlay

  • Gavin BainHimself
  • Billy T. BoydHimself