Chris Williamson ignites interest with “Mics on Fire”

Chris Williamson started filming Mics on Fire, a documentary about Kansas City’s hip-hop scene, in the summer of 2009. After months of pounding Kansas City’s pavement to capture footage of the city’s rap artists, Williamson will premiere Mics on Fire at the Tivoli Theatre tomorrow, June 17. Williamson spoke with us about the film’s premiere, his appreciation for local rap music, and why the A&R folks from Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles need stop to stop flying over Killa City.

The Pitch: What gave you the initial idea to film a documentary about Kansas City hip-hop?

I got invited on Craigslist to video a local rap show at Club Kuruption. I took some video, and thought “Hey, some of these things are pretty good, and they’re in my own backyard.” I looked around, and saw that there’s no attention on the scene. I don’t know anything about rap — I’m a metalhead — but I Iove music.