MUSICDVDs

The latest releases reviewed.

CHUCK D Chuck D's Hip Hop Hall Of Fame MVD ***

Still hip-hop's most stentorian observer, Chuck D's round-up of the MCs he rates on the mic begins with a trip to what was happening back in the day. While the Public Enemy man intends to release a series of rap documentaries and will probably eventually look at the current brood of rappers making large, he begins by taking the viewer back to the old school. There are some informative interviews with Rakim, Ice Cube, Afrika Bambaataa and especially KRS-One (who's also here kicking the truth to the suburban youth on some concert footage), with both interviewer and interviewee talking about what hip hop was all about before the mainstream came calling. There's some fascinating vintage film too, including evergreen rap cheerleader Fab 5 Freddy hanging with a young Run DMC and a neat Davey D mini-doc on hip-hop's roots. www.publicenemy.com Jim Carroll

MADONNA The Confessions Tour: Live from London Warner Bros ***

There ain't no getting away from it - Madonna is the business. Some 200 million-plus record sales, sold-out arena concerts wherever she goes, a back catalogue as long as the collected outstretched arms of the Harlem Globetrotters, and the kind of musical credibility that no amount of money in the world can borrow, let alone buy. Directed by the über-hip Jonus Akerlund, this is a straight enough filming of a show that boasts some of the best arena show production values of recent years. All the hits (and believe me, everything Maddie releases is a hit, so there's no gristle here) are performed amid a display of dance party/performance art hybrid. Extra features not seen before on DVD include the controversial crucifixion sequence in Live to Tell, quality photo gallery shots and not very interesting behind-the-scenes footage. www.madonna.com Tony Clayton-Lea