Movies Like Beats & Lyrics: The Essence of Rap
If you liked Beats & Lyrics: The Essence of Rap (2023), a documentary and music movie directed by Edwin Freeman, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.
- 1

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and musicSOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of this unstoppable beast is the film's director and interviewer Ice-T…
- 2

Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and musicExperience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
- 3

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
★ 8.4/10Also documentary and musicAfter years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year…
- 4

Bad 25 (2012)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary and musicSpike Lee pays tribute to Michael Jackson's Bad on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the epochal album, offering behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson recording the album and interviews with confidants, musicians…
- 5

The Beach Boys (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and musicA celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
- 6

Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (2020)
★ 8.1/10Also music and documentaryA portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
- 7

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)
★ 7/10Also documentary and musicPart documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
- 8

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (2021)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and musicChristopher Wallace, AKA The Notorious B.I.G., remains one of Hip-Hop’s icons, renowned for his distinctive flow and autobiographical lyrics. This documentary celebrates his life via rare behind-the-scenes footage and…
- 9

End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2003)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary and musicA years-in-the-making documentary on the legendary punk band the Ramones. Through a mixture of archival footage, archival and new interviews with all members of the band's various lineups, and new interviews with a…
- 10

God Bless Ozzy Osbourne (2011)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary and musicFeaturing never before seen footage uncovered from the archives and interviews with Paul McCartney, Tommy Lee and others, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne is the first documentary to take viewers inside the complex mind of…
- 11

Justin Bieber's Believe (2013)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and musicA backstage and on-stage look at Justin Bieber during his rise to super stardom.
- 12

Stans (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and musicA revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of superfandom, told through the lens of one of the world's most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.
- 13

Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly (2019)
★ 6.8/10Also documentary and musicWhile crafting his Grammy-nominated album "Astroworld," Travis Scott juggles controversy, fatherhood and career highs in this intimate documentary.
- 14

The Who: The Kids Are Alright (1979)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary and musicThrough concert performances and interviews, this film offers us a comprehensive look at the British pioneer rock group, The Who. It captures their zany craziness and outrageous antics from the initial formation of the…
- 15

ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas (2019)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and musicThe story of how three oddball teenage bluesmen became one of the biggest, most beloved bands on the planet.
- 16

Avicii: True Stories (2017)
★ 8/10Also music and documentaryDocumentary about the arena-packing Swedish DJ, chronicling his explosive rise to fame and surprising decision to retire from live performances in 2016.
- 17

Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon (2011)
★ 8.1/10Also documentary and musicSee Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his…
- 18

Thriller 40 (2023)
★ 8.7/10Also documentary and musicForty years after the release of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller,’ the best-selling album of all-time, director Nelson George takes fans back in time to the making of a pop masterpiece, featuring never-before-seen footage…
- 19

The Last Repair Shop (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and musicIn a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four…
- 20

Lewis Capaldi: How I'm Feeling Now (2023)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and musicAn intimate, all-access documentary that will chronicle Lewis Capaldi's journey from a scrappy teen with a viral performance to a Grammy-nominated pop star.