Charlie Ahearn’s 1983 film Wild Style is considered a foundational hip-hop movie.
The independent film follows the fictional Bronx graffiti artist Raymond “Zoro” and features real hip-hop figures rather than conventional Hollywood stars. Its cast and appearances include Lee Quiñones, Fab 5 Freddy, the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, and the Cold Crush Brothers.
Wild Style captures several elements of early hip-hop culture together: graffiti, DJing, breakdancing, and MCing. Its soundtrack and performance scenes helped introduce the emerging culture to audiences beyond New York City.
The film is often mentioned alongside Style Wars, a 1983 documentary about New York graffiti and hip-hop. They are different works: Wild Style is a fictional feature, while Style Wars documents real artists and communities.