Tree- "TrapGenius" Documentary

Written by: Kez The Dude

Few Rappers in Chicago can garner significant buzz without releasing a song or doing a performance. This is because there is only one Tree. Tree is a voice of wisdom resonating throughout Chicago and the nation. “Trap Genius The Documentary" is a short film and documentary. 

This piece succeeds because Tree asks the right questions. The interviewees in “Trap Genius” are like a lot of people you might meet in Chicago. They speak of the death of those they don’t know. They speak without empathy for their lost lives. Grown men indulge in tales of former glamorous lifestyles fueled by Cocaine. However, these tales lead to addiction and a slew of unsustainable habits.

Tree presents this documentary to showcase the reality of just how many of us black men turn to drugs guns and spirituality to find security in America. I cannot stress how relevant this piece of art is. Everyone should watch this. Tree hails from Cabrini Green Housing Project on the northside of Chicago which was torn down in 2011. APJ Films and their team of cinematographers (Brooklyn Wheeler, DJ Damnage) do a great job of contextualizing the “Trap”. More importantly they successfully contextualize these hustlers within reality. They showcase these people as human beings. The street album “Trap Genius” is coming soon. Thank you to Tree and everyone who was apart of the compelling and vitalizing short film.