Melvin Van Peebles

Melvin Van Peebles' status as a pioneering African-American filmmaker likely obscures the fact that he also busted barriers and blazed trails as one of the forebears of rap music. If there's anyone who could draw from a large pool of life experiences, it was Van Peebles, a supremely creative individual who could also list Air Force bombardier, cable car driver, postal worker, portrait painter, journalist, novelist, playwright, and actor to his résumé. Not only that, but he lived in several locations throughout the U.S., Mexico, France, and Holland. Most of the attention aimed ...