Off Topic: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

You might want to check your local listings for a new PBS documentary on Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes by Byron Hurt. It's a one-hour film exploring violence, misogyny, homophobia and masculinity in hip hop music and culture. Byron Hurt is no ordinary documentarian. A former college football quarterback and self-described former "ladies man," Hurt has been a lifelong fan of hip hop, and he brings his appreciation of the culture into his examination of the serious issues.

Hurt interviews many of the key players and observers, including Mos Def, Busta Rhymes, Michael Eric Dyson and Russell Simmons. But beyond the usual suspects, Hurt also goes to the streets. He questions sexist men at the Daytona Beach spring fling and bikini-clad women who are verbally and physically harassed by some of the men. And he's not afraid to confront powerful people with probing questions they don't want to answer.

Hurt will appear on CNN with Paula Zahn tonight at 8 p.m. EST, to discuss his documentary.