Chicago-based rapper Brian Wharton—aka Sharkula, Thigahmahjigee, Thig, and other assorted pseudonyms—is also a graffiti artist, break dancer, and consummate street hustler; his friend Joshua Conro has fashioned a documentary that eschews any pretense of objectivity, and instead celebrates his irrepressible spirit and boundless energy. Conro interviews a number of local and national hip-hop artists and DJs, most of whom revere Wharton for his spontaneous, unscripted rapping style and marathon performances as well as his staunch refusal to promote himself on the Internet. Some of the best parts of Conro’s video show Wharton’s colorful interactions with various people as he hawks his homemade tapes and CDs on the street, which for years has been his primary source of income. 98 min.
Sharkula: Diarrhea of a Madman
NR