New York-based Article 19 Films produced a 90-minute documentary called "BLING: A Planet Rock" that takes a satirical, yet hard-hitting look at how the flashy world of commercial hip-hop indirectly and ironically supported the diamond conflict in Sierra Leone via hip-hop's gawky obsession with "bling." Produced in association with VH1 and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the film began airing on VH1 in February, 2007.

An estimated 65% of the world's diamonds, worth $8.4 billion a year, come from Africa. Until recently, conflict diamonds accounted for at least 4% of this total. Due to pressure from increased awareness of the issue, the international diamond industry has taken steps to reduce this amount significantly, but continued consumer demand for conflict-free diamonds is essential.

As the documentary points out, less attention has been paid to those individuals and communities that suffered directly from the atrocities commited by diamond-supported rebels.


Directed by Raquel Cepeda and Produced in association with VH1 and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the film was released on DVD