Professor X was the son of legendary activist Sonny Carson, who I featured for Blaxploitation Friday #56.

Here’s more info via the press release that I jacked:

ego trip, the New York-based creative collective behind the top-rated VH1 reality programs The (White) Rapper Show and Miss Rap Supreme, as well as the critically-acclaimed Book of Rap Lists and Big Book of Racism!, proudly presents three monthly programs of rarely-screened, short-form, independently produced hip-hop related documentaries at the acclaimed Maysles Institute of Harlem USA.

The series kicks off on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 with showings of two seminal depictions of South Bronx gang culture. First up is the colourful and compelling 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s (1979), produced and directed by Gary Weis. Chronicling the unforgettable real-life characters of the Savage Skulls and the Savage Nomads street gangs, as well as other members of their SBX community, it’s an indispensable portrait of the environment that spawned hip-hop’s eventual creative explosion. Also screening is Shotgun (1982), a similarly gritty depiction of New York City gang life from director Steve Goodman. Both filmmakers will be present at the screening, as well as Ponce Laspina, a former 5th Division President of the notorious Savage Skulls, and NYPD Detective Robert Werner (who appears prominently in 80 Blocks).

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