‘Can I Kick It?’: Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop with a Kung Fu Twist 

Cary, NC – To celebrate 50 years of hip-hop and Black History Month, the Town of Cary and Speller Street Films will present CAN I KICK IT?, an interactive experience that combines hip-hop with a martial arts movie at the Cary Arts Center (101 Dry Ave) in Cary, North Carolina on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

Kim Roberts, BHM Program Coordinator says “Cary is a place where we are becoming inspired to think outside of the box. We are excited to bring CAN I KICK IT? to the Cary Arts Center;  it’s not only a movie but an intergenerational event! We hope it will bring out fans of all ages that love classic movies and hip-hop music.”

Shaolin Jazz will perform a live hip-hop score to the martial arts cult classic, Berry Gordy’s THE LAST DRAGON. The film follows a young man who is trying to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery while fighting an evil martial arts expert and rescuing a beautiful singer. There will also be a special video introduction before the film and a video Q&A after the film with the star of THE LAST DRAGON, Taimak.

DJ 2-Tone Jones of Shaolin Jazz says “This isn’t just playing a DJ set during a movie. We incorporate the music with the movie so you can still follow the plot and hear the dialogue. You might have one scene using a song with lyrics and another using instrumental beds underneath. It’s weaving music over and under the film audio, just scoring the film, scene by scene.”

Doors open at 6:00 pm with a DJ set by DJ Damu, paying homage to 50 years of hip hop. The film (with a live hip-hop score by Shaolin Jazz) will begin at 7:00 pm.

Food trucks Go Yaki, Kitoko Bites, and Royal Cheesecake & Varieties will be onsite at 5:00 pm. Attendees can also get a free caricature drawing from anime sketch artist Alberto Lung. Tickets are $10 and are available on ETIX and at the Cary Box Office. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door on the day of the event.