Tacoma Weekly 11/2008

‘Do It! A Documentary’
Film by hip-hop icon Quanstar teaches valuable life lessons
By Matt Nagle

Tacoma Weekly
mnagle@tacomaweekly.com

THAT’S A RAP. Quanstar’s live shows feature tracks from the five CDs he has released along with new material he’s constantly writing.

Janale Harris, a.k.a. Quanstar, is a man of many talents, and he is working his tail off trying to get others to realize it too. An underground hip-hop artist, emcee, author, publicist, promoter, booking agent, the father of a little boy with a second one on the way, and working two jobs, Quanstar could easily be called the hardest working man in hip-hop. One thing is for sure: Quanstar’s life proves that trying to make a name for oneself in the world of entertainment is indeed a hard knock life.

Despite the big load that is on his shoulders, Quanstar strives to keep his spirits high with good friends and a caring family, who appear in the film, to support his dream of “making it” whether that is in the lights of a concert hall marquee or in the eyes of his sons. He is determined to go the extra mile in all of his endeavors, and he has produced a documentary that shows exactly that. On Nov. 24, his film “Do It! A Documentary” will be shown at University of Puget Sound’s Rausch Auditorium at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

Directed by Anthony Neal, “Do It!” is a real-life account of Quanstar’s life over the course of six months as he works to balance all the things that are going on in his life with his desire for personal achievement. It is gritty, not glamorous, and refreshingly honest. Whether he is in the studio laying down tracks, on the phone trying to line up sponsors for his annual “The Bring Your ‘A’ Game Tour,” almost running out of gas in the middle of nowhere trying to get to his next gig, or relaxing at home celebrating his son Janale Jr.’s birthday, the camera is there recording it all and the results are fascinating and at times heartwarming. Seeing this film, you may easily find yourself caught up in his journey to the point that you are rooting for the guy to succeed. Above all, it teaches a real-life lesson to believe in your dreams and to never give up on yourself.

“If you want it, you gotta get it no matter what it is,” Quanstar said from his home base in Atlanta. “You have to get up every day and be committed to it.” He said one reason he made the film is to help younger artists just starting out. “They don’t understand that it’s hard…it’s a business. I wanted the movie to talk about the day-to-day struggles.”

The film also clearly shows how much the genre of hip-hop music is an unabashed expression of life. Just as a graphic artist picks up a paintbrush to share their view of the world around them, so does Quanstar but with a microphone. The lyrics he writes are said to bring hip-hop back to where it used to be during its golden age in the early 1990s, that being music by the people and for the people rather than so much “bling and booty” content that is heard today, according to the Compton-born artist.

Quanstar has already released four albums, not including the 12 song CD soundtrack that accompanies “Do It!” His book “Water From Turnips: The Book,” about his life of perseverance starting from childhood, was released this past September and he is about to start recording an album to go with it. His second book, “A Rapper’s Words: The Graphic Novel,” is due out in early 2009. He is also working on a third novel, “Message From a Single Dad,” which will be a compilation of essays written by single fathers to help counter the unfair stereotypes about black men’s lack of involvement in their children’s lives.

Active in the non-profit Hip Hop Congress, Quanstar said this organization is an excellent resource. “If you ever want to make a difference and get around positive people in hip-hop no matter what you want to do, go to http://www.hiphopcongress.com,” he said.

Quanstar said he is looking forward to the day when he can sit back, watch his film and smile about the way things used to be, perhaps even with a sense of melancholy for those crazy times. “I can’t wait to look back at this and laugh at it,” he said. But in the meantime, “Where I am right now, even though it’s hard and trying, I’m grateful where I am because it makes for a better story and I can help myself and more people the way I’m doing it now.”

Learn more about Quanstar, download his music and writings and order his CDs at http://www.ftent.weebly.com. Also check out http://www.myspace.com/Quanstar.