Ice T is getting back to rap skill basics in the new documentary, Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap. Now that the film has secured distribution and a theatrical release, Ice offered some insight into the process.

“I just sat back one day and had a feeling like I don’t know my music is being respected to the degree I wanted it to be respected,” he told KROQ’s Kevin and Bean. “Some people think it’s a joke… I wanted to do a documentary about the craft. I called up my friends and said, ‘I got an idea, I want to do an interview with you on film.’ I said ‘I’m not going to ask you about the money, the cars the beef, I want to talk about the craft.’ They said, ‘Nobody has ever asked us those questions.’”

Ice went on to share some behind-the-scenes notes on his interactions with some of the subjects, such as Treach, Tupac and Eminem.

“Lyrically, [Eminem] is one of the greatest,” he said. “I actually was hip to Eminem, I thought, before Dre… I heard this record by Eminem about his girl in the trunk… I remember he used to get on my tour bus and I asked him what he wanted, he said, ‘I just want to be around like you and Dre.’ He wanted longevity.”

In the film, Ice hits the road to explore the minds of rappers and the craft of rapping. The actor, gangster rapper and Body Count frontman puts on the director’s hat for the film, which features Big Daddy Kane, Nas, KRS-One, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and more.

Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap hits theaters June 15. Check out the trailer and interview below. -E. Parker, CBS local

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AhwBUydknWI