We’re in the midst of a renaissance that sees more unconventional narratives and left-of-center stories making it to the mainstream lens. Naturally, this opens lanes for more hip-hop-inspired stories to make their way to a wide audience. While the inclusivity has only become a recent zeitgeist in Hollywood, the proof that it ought to be has existed for decades. Films like Boyz n the Hood and Menace II Society educated many about the unforgiving backgrounds and the fatalistic worldviews that inspired some of music’s most memorable lines. They are some of American pop culture’s biggest hallmarks, even the ones that have not yet been recognized by the United States Library of Congress like the former was.
The catalog of silver screen classics from hip-hop culture made over the last 30 years includes introductions to graffiti culture, closer looks at the lifelong adjacence to violence that birthed some of the genre’s most tragic figures, and pimp-to-hitmaker narratives powerful enough to get Three 6 Mafia an Oscar (actually, there’s just one instance of the latter happening).
Despite its troubled production, Straight Outta Compton broke new ground because it ended up being a hit. As a result of the movie’s success, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, studio executives are welcoming hip-hop stories with open arms. They don’t always work—that Tupac biopic really had Maino shooting at the legend—but sometimes we get stories like that of legendary rapper Roxanne Shante. Now that hip-hop is officially the most popular genre in America, perhaps hip-hop-inspired films will reach the same level of inescapability as superhero flicks.
From Wild Style to Roxanne Roxanne, from Public Enemy theme songs to an old white guy asking, “Is you a real n***a?”, these are the best hip-hop movies. RIP again to Radio Raheem, and to gangster rap legend MC Gusto’s rap career.
Year: 2003
Director: John Whitesell
Cast: Jamie Kennedy, Ryan O’Neal, Jeffrey Tambor, Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson
In a premise that wouldn’t fly in 2018, comedian Jamie Kennedy plays B-Rad, a rapper whose desire to act black is so dire that his governor father (the pristinley caucasian Ryan O’Neal) agrees to let two actors (Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson) scare him straight. Of course, the two aren’t actually that hard themselves, which leads to even more mayhem. By the end of the movie, you’ll likely find yourself pondering the true meaning of “authenticity.”
Year: 1998
Director: Warren Beatty
Cast: Warren Beatty, Don Cheadle, Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Sean Astin, Amiri Baraka
Nope, that Best Picture gaffe at the Oscars in 2017 wasn’t the most bizarre thing Warren Beatty has ever done. In this 1998 political satire, Beatty stars as Democratic Senator Jay Billington Bulworth, who’s suicidal during a re-election campaign as he believes his political career is over. After an emotional breakdown, Bulworth decides to cut the political facade and start keeping it real. He incenses a black church by telling them Democratic politics are basically bullshit while throwing stereotypes in their faces (who he says ought to do something better than “get behind a running back who stabs his wife”). Our hero Bulworth begins to relate to South Central natives (and solve the class and racial divide in the process) by adopting black culture, speaking in raps (or, as one reporter calls it, an “ethnic manner of speech”), saving child drug dealers from racist police, and playing with car hydraulics in the middle of the night to the soundtrack of Ice Cube’s “The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit.” At one point, Beatty even asks, “Is you my nigga?” in earnest confusion.
Obviously, this Beatty cut would probably not get the green light in 2018, but Bulworth was prescient in its absurdity. These days, it isn’t uncommon to see Democrats lean into hip-hop culture in egregiously how-do-you-do-fellow-kids fashion. Remember, Bernie Sanders wants you to know Cardi B is right.
Year: 2000
Director: Steven Esteb
Cast: Bryan “Birdman” Williams, Ronald “Slim” Williams, Juvenile, B.G., Lil Wayne, Turk, Mannie Fresh
Right around the end of the ’90s and the early aughts, success in hip-hop allowed rappers to explore the world of film. At the dawn of the millennium, Cash Money Records played its cards right, and was able to produce Baller Blockin’. This harrowing tale of life in New Orleans’ Magnolia projects is an obvious crew showcase that relies on street tale stereotypes to advance the plot, but it’s amusing to revisit because of the music and serves as reminder of how things were within the camp at that time.
Once upon a time, prior to the YMCMB days, Juvenile was Cash Money’s star, not Lil Wayne. That’s why he plays the lead role here, while a young Wayne, who still had yet to break out as a star, handled supporting duties. Baller Blockin’ is snapshot of Cash Money’s past, one where getting Juvie, Wayne, Turk, B.G., Mannie Fresh, and Baby in the same room wasn’t a longshot.
Year: 1998
Director: Michael Martin
Cast: Master P, Snoop Dogg, A.J. Johnson, Gretchen Palmer, Ice Cube, C-Murder, John Witherspoon, Tommy Lister, Jr.
The No Limit tank was looking formidable and intimidating in 1998 when Master P decided to make the leap into film, resulting in I Got the Hook Up. Reflecting Master P’s familiarity with the art of the hustle, I Got the Hook Up follows Black (Master P) and Blue (A.J. Johnson), who earn a living by selling goods from their trunk. After happening upon a shipment of massive, old school cell phones, they proceed to sell them to their entire neighborhood, furthering their reputation as local celebrities until they score the attention of the FBI and the mob.
There are movies that incorporate rap, then there are movies that exist only because rappers were involved in the production. I Got the Hook Up falls into the latter category, but it mixes the expected cameos (Snoop, Ice Cube, and plenty of No Limit family) with a soundtrack, back when soundtrack’s mattered. From the title track to Jay Z, Sauce Money and Memphis Bleek’s “What the Game Made Me,” this one has some gems on it.
Year: 2017
Director: Michael Larnell
Cast: Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long
Although Roxanne Shante is a hip-hop icon as one of the first female solo rappers, her biography is often overlooked. Even her Wikipedia page is a fairly short rundown that ends with a rather embarrassing untruth about a Ph.D. This Netflix biopic seeks to uncover the details of Roxanne’s story by focusing on Lolita Shanté Gooden, a teen with prodigious rap talent trying to exist within a cycle of abuse. Pushed by excellent performances from Chanté Adams as the eponymous rapper, Nia Long as her emotionally stunted mother, and a menacing Mahershala Ali as the abusive lover, Roxanne Roxanne becomes even more stunning when we acknowledge just how few of these sorts of perspectives make it to film.
Year: 2002
Director: Abdul Malik Abbott
Cast: Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Memphis Bleek, Omillio Sparks
Part of Roc-A-Fella’s early 2000s rollout plan involved giving every member and their underlings the opportunity to thrive musically, and in other avenues. In 2002, Beanie Sigel became a leading man, essentially playing himself in State Property. Beans played…Beans, leader of the ABM crew who rapidly took over the city of Philadelphia thanks to their ruthlessness. But, because stories about the drug game rarely have happy endings, Beans finds himself torn between responsibility to his family and the beckoning of the game.
Aside from Beans’ bully aesthetic, the film and its accompanying soundtrack are showcases for the rest of the State Property gang: Young Chris, Young Neef, Oschino, and Omillio Sparks. (Freeway and Peedi Crakk were, um, tied up legally at the time). As with all Roc-A-Fella releases, there are a ton of cameos, and the film was actually successful enough to warrant a sequel with a larger budget and even more cameos. Looking back, “Roc the Mic” (which never gets old), is the gem from its legacy.
Year: 2001
Director: Marc Levin
Cast: Tariq Trotter, Sara Goberman, David Vadim, Slick Rick, Mad Cobra
Marc Levin’s not-so-subtle combination of the Bible, West Side Story, and Romeo and Juliet tells the story of Sol (Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter) and Sarah (Karen Golberman). After Sol, who’s Rastafarian, and Sarah, a Hasidic Jew, literally collide into each other in a car crash, their forbidden love begins. Released 10 years after the Crown Heights riots, Brooklyn Babylon uses that racial tension as an obstacle to Sol and Sarah’s relationship, fashioning them a modern day Solomon and Sheba.
The star-crossed lovers theme is a bit heavy-handed, but music—hip-hop, specifically—plays a key role in the film. Aside from the overt “Song of Songs” theme, Sol is a member of The Lions, (played by The Roots) who fuse hip-hop with Rastafarian sensibilities. While Brooklyn Babylon continuously shoves its message in the faces of viewers, it does present a story which will make even the most progressive thinkers question their morals.
Year: 2002
Director: David V. Daniel, Damon Dash
Cast: Beanie Sigel, Kevin Hart, Stacey Dash, Michael Rapaport, Memphis Bleek, Noreaga, Myxt Matanza, Jay-Z, Damon Dash
Once upon a time, Kevin Hart wasn’t in every single movie that came out. This was way back in the day when Roc-A-Fella first began dabbling in film, and Hart’s first lead role came in Paper Soldiers. Hart plays Shawn, who’s goaded into the world of breaking and entering by the intimidating Stu (Beanie Sigel). As they achieve success, they continue to take things dangerously far, barely dodging the law each time.
Like all Roc-A-Fella films, Paper Soldiers is loaded with cameos from the hip-hop universe. Damon Dash, Stacey Dash, Memphis, Bleek, Michael Rapaport, Angie Martinez, and even Jay Z himself make appearances. Charlie Murphy plays an antagonistic cop, and Hart gives early flashes of the irreverence that would eventually make him a star. Still, Beans damn near liquefying people with his punches is just as funny (perhaps more) as Hart’s obnoxious humor.
Year: 1993
Director: Ted Demme
Cast: Doctor Dre, Ed Lover, Salt, Badja Djola, Denis Leary, Richard Bright
The relationship between hip-hop and law enforcement is as contentious as the one police have with the general public. That’s why Doctor Dré and Ed Lover’s friends threw them tons of shade when the duo became cops in hope of figuring out how their mentor Nick (Jim Moody) died. Using their connections, the rookie cops are able to solve the crime.
The film’s plot is the last thing viewers care about. Novelty is what makes this film worth the viewing, as it’s filled with appearances from comedians and popular rappers of that era. Only a special film gives screen time to Colin Quinn, Bill Bellamy, and damn near the entire rap game through the early ‘90s. Director Ted Demme, the nephew of Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme, accomplished the latter thanks to connections he made during his stint as a producer for Yo! MTV Raps.
During an era where cameos were novel due to the element of surprise, Who’s the Man? is a film every true hip-hop fan has seen at least once. Plus, the soundtrack (which contains Biggie’s debut single, “Party and Bullshit”) is pretty good, too.
Year: 2001
Director: Jesse Dylan
Cast: Method Man, Redman, Obba Babatunde, Mike Epps
Revered potheads Redman and Method Man became kindred spirits in the ‘90s through “How High,” a brilliant ode to their favorite vice. Years later, they flipped the THC-laced theme into a feature film of the same name that, while utterly ridiculous, is always a rewarding view. They made a whole album together (1999’s Blackout!), why wouldn’t they try to make a movie?
In How High, Silas (Method Man) and Jamal (Redman) gain acceptance to Harvard University after smoking weed laced with the ashes of Silas’ deceased friend, Ivory (Chuck Davis). Their “study high, test high, get high grades” method works until the stash dries up and they’re forced to launch a series of schemes to retain their scholarships.
Due to its status as an adored stoner flick, How High’s absurd plot can’t be held against it. It’s hard to be mad at a film with an uptight administrator named Dean Cain (Obba Babbatunde), a steady stream of weed-fueled comedy, and Lark Voorhies in her prime.
Year: 1996
Director: Paris Barclay
Cast: Shawn Wayans, Vivica A. Fox, Marlon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans
The urban classics of the ‘90s were the first time most of mainstream America was exposed to the plight of lower income black communities. In doing so, they were forced to spell out many of the issues, making the themes very on-the-nose in comparison to the content that the more socially aware millennial generation consumes today. When Keenan Ivory Wayans’ Mailman pops up to yell “MESSAGE” every time a character tries to drop some obvious jewels, you can see hemmings of the same sort of criticism reserved for the clapterific Dear White People. Because this is a Wayans production, Don’t Be a Menace strays far away from being completely cerebral—Marlon Wayans’ O-Dog-esque character threatening a foe with a ballistic is one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
Year: 1995
Director: John Singleton
Cast: Omar Epps, Ice Cube, Jennifer Connelly, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport, Laurence Fishburne
Higher Learning is in many ways a spiritual cousin of Boyz n the Hood, but we’ve now left the hood and made it into an institution of—gestures at film title—higher learning. This time, it’s Omar Epps instead of Cuba Gooding Jr. who has to go through some trauma to come of age, and it’s again directed by John Singleton. (Busta Rhymes and Tyra Banks pop up, too.) Fishburne returns as the coarsely empathetic father figure, Ice Cube comes back to keep it too real for his own good, and white supremacy—which you can argue works behind the scenes in Boyz n the Hood—comes in the form of an actual Nazi who takes advantage of an impressionable Remy (Michael Rapaport). Remy’s story isn’t contained to fiction, though; in 2018, to rap about white supremacy is to protest against an actual threat.
Year: 2015
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoë Kravitz, ASAP Rocky, Lakeith Stanfield, Tyga, Vince Staples, Casey Veggies
Famuyiwa’s first feature film in five years follows high schooler Malcolm Adekanbi, a hopeful Harvard applicant, who ends up with a bag of drugs in his possession after showing up at the wrong party. Malcolm is a ‘90s music geek, but hip-hop works as more of a guiding ethos than a quirk in the film. It inspires the energy that runs through every aspect of the story, including the sharp dialogue and its slick unpredictability. Dope also managed to cast A$AP Rocky as the charismatic drug dealer who gets Dom into this mess, Tyga, a pre-Atlanta Lakeith Stanfield, and Vince Staples, who plays a crewmate with about a fraction of Staples’ actual wit.
Year: 1994
Director: Boaz Yakin
Cast: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N’Bushe Wright
One of hip-hop’s big pillars is the concept of innovation, and Fresh rides off the darker underbelly of that principle. Boaz Yakin’s directorial debut follows the 12-year-old eponymous character who becomes a drug runner purely for the sake of making it out of poverty. The film emphasizes Fresh’s brilliance, as well as his reality as one of many brilliant boys who lack the actual means to make it out of the hood. With an urgency assisted by its streetwise hip-hop soundtrack, what follows is a sharp thriller with a strong emotional payoff.
Year: 2009
Director: George Tillman, Jr.
Cast: Jamal Woolard, Chistopher Wallace, Jr., Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, Marc John Jefferies, Anthony Mackie, Naturi Naughton
Nearly 12 years after the Notorious B.I.G.’s death, his short life was finally given the cinematic treatment. George Tillman, Jr.’s Notorious chronicled the “ashy to classy” ascent to fame Biggie first mentioned on “Juicy,” the brief period in which it felt like he ruled the world, and his shocking death in 1997. Biggie’s story had already been engraved into the minds of hip-hop fans worldwide, but Notorious sought to provide as much detail as a two-hour film permitted while also taking aim at those not completely familiar with Christopher Wallace’s 24 years on this planet.
While Jamal “Gravy” Woodard was effective in the leading role, the film never felt like it was big as it should’ve been. Notorious allows viewers to relive the birth of the Bad Boy era by taking them on a nostalgic ride, but the life and death of one of the most celebrated rappers ever was worthy of something bigger.
Year: 2005
Director: Jim Sheridan
Cast: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Terrence Howard, Joy Bryant, Bill Duke, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Omar Benson Miller, Viola Davis
By the middle of the previous decade, 50 Cent had become the biggest rapper in the world. That prosperity sparked Hollywood’s interest, and 50’s combination of personality and harrowing backstory led to further intrigue. At arguably the peak of his musical popularity, the story of the drug-dealer-turned-rapper who miraculously survived nine bullets made its way to the big screen through Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Largely autobiographical, the film—which, of course, shares the name of 50’s debut album—tells the story of Marcus (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), a boy who loses his mother to the drug game only to follow in her footsteps. Over time, he realizes that his love of hip-hop is his ticket to a better life, which he nearly loses in a hail of bullets. That’s when the story gets even more violent (and clichéd) before reaching a dramatic conclusion.
What’s remarkable about Get Rich or Die Tryin’ isn’t that the (dramatized) tale of Curtis Jackson’s life extends from Jamaica, Queens to theaters everywhere, it’s that such reputable names were involved in the film. It was directed by six-time Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan, and Terence Winter (who’s had his hands in everything from The Sopranos to The Wolf of Wall Street) penned the screenplay.
Year: 2005
Director: Craig Brewer
Cast: Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, Taraji P. Henson, DJ Qualls, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Juicy J
By 2005, southern hip-hop had finally corralled the respect it deserved, so director and writer Craig Brewer took audiences down into the trenches of Memphis with Hustle & Flow. The film follows DJay (Terrence Howard), an aging, struggling pimp and drug-dealer who never got to have his moment in the limelight. Refusing to simply call it a life, he goes against all logic and decides he wants to be a rapper in his 30s. With the help of a rag tag engineering team (Anthony Anderson and DJ Qualls), he creates a struggle mixtape with infectious songs that he hopes to pass to Skinny Black (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), who he prays will help change his situation.
Hustle & Flow is drenched in southern hip-hop. From the bounce of Lil Boosie and Webbie’s “Swerve” to DJay’s intense “Whoop That Trick,” the music is perfect. “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp,” famously earned Three 6 Mafia an Oscar in 2006, and they performed the song with star Taraji P. Henson at the award show. Though this might be the most egregious example of Howard using his trademark “Hey, mane,” his performance also earned him an Oscar nod for Best Actor. Years later, Hustle & Flow’s dive into the Memphis rap scene remains enjoyable for the recording of “Whoop That Trick” alone.
Year: 1994
Director: Rusty Cundieff
Cast: Rusty Cundieff, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Larry B. Scott, Faizon Love, Kasi Lemmons, Deezer D
Hip-hop and satire had met before (see 1993’s CB4), but Fear of a Black Hat went a step further. Rusty Cundieff did it all: writing, producing, directing, and starring in this send up of hip-hop’s evolution. Also going the This Is Spinal Tap route, Fear of a Black Hat follows the fictional rap group N.W.H. (Niggaz With Hats), a mixture of several acts who were popular by that point (NWA and Public Enemy, to name a few). Though exaggerated for comedic purposes, the film plays up hip-hop’s ridiculousness with pinpoint accuracy.
Every genre of music has something worthy of a good lampooning. By 1994, the bulk of hip-hop’s criticism came from those outside of the culture. What made Fear of a Black Hat special was that the insight came from someone who got it. Analysis is always better when it comes from people who know what they’re talking about—and even better when it’s funny.
Year: 2015
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown Jr., Paul Giamatti
Next to nothing hinted at the runaway success this biopic during its troubled production. Still, Straight Outta Compton became something of a phenomenon—it helps when your source material is one of hip-hop’s most phenomenal groups. F. Gary Gray’s flick had to cut a lot of corners to make the grand scope of N.W.A’s story fit into a film (how did Ice Cube link up with the East Coast’s the Bomb Squad for his debut?), but it succeeds in making the emotional beats and storylines it claws into potent. Note the cringeworthy hilarity of N.W.A’s reactions to listening to ex-member Ice Cube tear into them on “No Vaseline.” O’Shea Jackson Jr., who plays his father, and Jason Mitchell’s Eazy-E are resonating presences as well.
Straight Outta Compton is also tragically hip-hop in unintentional ways. The flick conveniently ignored Dr. Dre’s abuse of R&B singer Michel’le and his assault of Dee Barnes (whose account was published right after the film’s release). Then there’s the casual misogyny of a naked woman being shoved out of a hotel room, a scene played up for laughs. The story of N.W.A is tied to one of hip-hop’s darkest undercurrents.
Year: 2002
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Cast: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Mos Def, Queen Latifah, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kodjoe
Brown Sugar is the original Love & Hip Hop. It focuses on the bond between Dre (Taye Diggs) and Sydney (Sanaa Lathan) and ponders whether or not men and women can ever truly be platonic friends. Close since childhood, Dre becomes a successful A&R, while Sydney becomes the editor-in-chief of a prominent hip-hop magazine. The friendship is finally tested when Dre gets engaged to Reese (Nicole Ari Parker), the anti-Sydney.
This is a love story, devoting equal time to Dre and Sydney’s mutual love of hip-hop and each other. In exploring the depths of their relationship, it also delves into the inner-workings of the music industry on the record label and editorial levels. They’re quite close, and hip-hop plays such a prominent role in the film that it might as well be the third lead behind Diggs and Lathan.
Year: 1984
Director: Joel Silberg
Cast: Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers, Ice-T
As one of the original hip-hop films, Breakin’ highlights a young jazz dancer’s quest to inject much-needed life into her style. She’s directed to Ozone and Turbo, whose street style gives her the edge she’s looking for. Through a series battle scenes, mainstream audiences were given a taste (a brief taste, but a taste, nonetheless) of one key component to hip-hop culture.
Breakin’ is more of an exhibition for one of hip-hop’s core elements than strong storytelling. The plot isn’t that important, because this is a movie about dancing. Shabba-Doo and Boogaloo Shrimp are the stars, and their talents steal scenes, solidifying the film as a classic despite its shortcomings. The cameos from a young Ice-T and a unusually jolly Jean-Claude Van Damme only add to the legend.
Year: 1993
Director: Tamra Davis
Cast: Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D, Chris Elliott, Phil Hartman, Charlie Murphy, Khandi Alexander, Art Evans, Theresa Randle, Rachel True
Faking it until you make it works—until, of course, you make it and your past returns to haunt you. In Tamra Davis’ spot-on satire CB4, a group of wannabe rappers (Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D) seek help from hilariously intimidating goon Gusto (Charlie Murphy). They appropriate his hardcore persona into their music, fashioning themselves CB4, or “Cell Block 4,” a far cry from their wholesome upbringing. Their thug appeal results in popularity, but when Gusto breaks out of prison, good sense makes them drop the act, but not before Gusto ends up back behind bars where he belongs.
CB4 excels at making fun of hip-hop itself. The Wacky Dee character is a blatant reference to MC Hammer; CB4’s hit single “Straight Outta Locash” is a parody of N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton”; and the idea that an image needs to be sold to the public is a faulty idea that still plagues hip-hop to this day. Chris Rock helped write the film, and being the self-aware genius that he is, he was smart enough to reference some of his past roles. For example, New Jack City‘s crack-addicted Pookie and the skinny, Jheri curl-wearing kid pestering the great Isaac Hayes for a single rib in I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.
Though hip-hop doesn’t take itself too seriously (well, some artists do), it occasionally needs a good lampooning. This is why CB4 remains a trailblazing piece of filmmaking.
Year: 1998
Director: Hype Williams
Cast: DMX, Nas, Method Man, Taral Hicks, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Hassan Johnson, Jay Black, Oli “Power” Grant
When trailers for Belly surfaced in the fall of 1998, hip-hop fans were ecstatic. The two lead roles were filled by DMX, who was on the verge of releasing two No.1 albums in one year, and Nas, who co-wrote the film and was months away from releasing I Am… Sitting in the director’s seat was Hype Williams, arguably the most prolific music video director of the decade. The final product is one of the most flawed, visually stunning creations committed to film.
Williams went into his bag of music video tricks to craft a masterful opening scene where Tommy (DMX), Sincere (Nas), Mark (Hassan Johnson), and Black (Jay Black) rob The Tunnel, setting the film’s tone. What follows is a convoluted story of violence and redemption that helped Method Man launch a serious acting career and started a string of Nas “Back to Africa” jokes which have yet to subsist.
Belly may be a narrative disaster and every stage of production was likely hell, but it’s a beautifully shot noir flick that hip-hop fans will never turn off. (Even if they don’t know what the hell is going on.) To this day, Belly is the reason that the minimalist rendition of Soul ll Soul’s “Back to Life” makes you and your friends feel invincible whenever you walk into a club.
Year: 1994
Director: Jeff Pollack
Cast: Tupac Shakur, Duane Martin, Leon Robinson, Bernie Max, Tonya Pinkins, David Bailey, Marlon Wayans
Basketball fans born during a certain period grew up memorizing every move and every piece of dialogue from Jeff Pollack’s Above the Rim. Kyle Watson (Duane Martin) is a tremendously talented high school basketball player with dreams of playing for Georgetown University. The only things impeding this are his shitty attitude and some of the off-court decisions he makes, like getting caught up in the menacing Birdie’s (Tupac Shakur) world. In between, he receives humbling guidance from Thomas “Shep” Shepherd (Leon Robinson), who abandoned his own youth basketball aspirations following a tragedy.
Above the Rim is clearly a sports flick, but hip-hop serves as its pulse. 2Pac turned in the film’s best performance, and a few of his songs (“Pain,” “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” and “Pour Out a Little Liquor”) are played during keys points in the film. None of those songs were included on the stellar Death Row soundtrack, but music (rap, specifically) plays a huge role in why Above the Rim has become so well-received over the past 20 years. Thank Above the Rim for “Regulate” and the “Anything” remix. The world is a much better place as a result.
Year: 1993
Director: The Hughes Brothers
Cast: Tyrin Turner, Jada Pinkett Smith, Larenz Tate, Samuel L. Jackson
Menace II Society is the example many point to when discussing the idea of exploiting urban trauma. Although the film tries to make the argument that the characters’ cruelties are the result of their institutionalization, you can’t deny the fact that these young men are ultimately capable of making their own choices.
There’s still some compelling, nuanced subtext, even in the Menace II Society’s most over-the-top scenes. When our main character, Caine, robs a man while forcing him to order a double burger (“WITH CHEESE”), it speaks to the fact that violence is the only way these young adults can communicate with the world after a lifetime surrounding in it. There are certainly better hip-hop movies than Menace II Society, but its implications are hard to ignore.
Year: 1989
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: Spike Lee, Rosie Perez, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, John Turturro, Bill Nunn, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee
Spike Lee’s magnum opus is still an essential for the conscious hip-hop head. The societal rage that bubbles underneath it is so potent, and is only highlighted by a Public Enemy soundtrack. That Do the Right Thing holds up so well almost 30 years later is both a testament to Spike’s brilliance and an unfortunate indication of how much progress there is left for us to make.
The flick is buoyed by Spike’s unpredictable directional style (those intentionally claustrophobic close-ups) and vibrant dialogue. But there’s a bitterness that borders it all when you realize Bed-Stuy’s gentrification problem is far worse than scuffed Jordans, and there have been more Radio Raheems since the film’s release. Do the Right Thing’s biggest moments have become embedded in hip-hop culture, as artists continue to reference the movie’s characters and themes.
Year: 1990
Director: Reginald Hudlin
Cast: Christopher “Kid” Reid, Christopher “Play” Martin, Robin Harris, Martin Lawrence. Full Force, Tisha Campbell, A.J. Johnson, John Witherspoon
Kid ‘n Play were well known in the hip-hop community for their lighthearted songs and dance moves, but their starring roles in Reginald Hudlin’s House Party exposed them to a larger national audience. Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin play Kid and Play, friends and good-natured kids forever in search of fun with their more temperamental buddy Bilal (Martin Lawrence). Play plans to host a party at his house while his parents are gone, but Kid’s strict father (Robin Harris, in one of his final roles) forbids him to attend after getting into a fight at school with a trio of bullies (Full Force’s “Paul Anthony” George, Lucien “Bowlegged Lou” George Jr., and Brian “B-Fine” George). Kid of course sneaks out of the house and experiences a wild night that includes dancing, an impromptu rap battle, jail, and a near miss at sex.
Part of the reason House Party became such a hit is for the universality of its situation. Kid doesn’t disobey his father because he’s a bad kid, he does it because he doesn’t want to miss out—a feeling all of us understand.
House Party‘s strongest scenes take place at the party, particularly the “dance off,” which has been duplicated at parties and school talent shows for the past 23 years. Though the scene is set to Full Force’s “Ain’t My Type of Hype,” it was miraculously filmed sans music. If you’re foolish enough to question House Party‘s impact, ask yourself these questions: How many parties has it inspired over the years? How many will it continue to inspire? There’s a generation born slightly after the film’s release who probably know little of Kid ‘n Play the rappers, but still represent for the film and the duo’s feel-good spirit.
Year: 1984
Director: Stan Lathan
Cast: Rae Dawn Chong, Guy David, Jon Chardiet, Leon W. Grant, Saundra Santiago
As part of the first wave of hip-hop-focused films to receive a larger release, Beat Street helped introduce the masses to each of its main principles. Using hip-hop’s birthplace of the Bronx as the primary setting, the film follows a group of friends whose talents include hip-hop’s core elements of graffiti, DJing, MCing and B-Boying.
Serving as sampler for what hip-hop was about in its earlier days, Beat Street included performances from hip-hop legends such as DJ Kool Herc, Doug E. Fresh, and Melle Mel & the Furious Five just to name a few. Furthermore, knowledge of Beat Street is one of the many keys to understanding Jay Electronica’s lyrics, as he referenced rival graffiti artists Spit and Ramo (“Who gon’ bring the game back?/Who gon’ Spit that Ramo on the train tracks”) on “Exhibit A.” Because of its early impact and lasting influence, it’s impossible to have a conversation about hip-hop’s best movies without mention of Beat Street.
Year: 1985
Director: Michael Schultz
Cast: Sheila E., Run D.M.C., The Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, New Edition, Beastie Boys
Released just after Def Jam Recordings got off the ground, Krush Groove gave audiences a fly-on-the-wall look at the label’s early days. A young Blair Underwood played Russell Walker (the Hollywood interpretation of Russell Simmons), a rising producer who corrals hip-hop’s most popular acts and signs them to his label, Krush Groove.
With cameo appearances from Run D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin, LL Cool J, and Simmons himself, Krush Groove was a dramatized oral history of Def Jam. It featured performances of classic Def Jam records (Run D.M.C.’s “My Adidas” and “King of Rock”; LL’s “I Can’t Live without My Radio”), which was instrumental in bolstering the popularity of both the artists and the label. The addition of crowd-pleasing cameos from artists such as Sheila E., the Fat Boys, and a young New Edition only adds to the film’s legend. The origin of hip-hop’s most storied record label is certainly worthy of being shared with the masses, and Def Jam benefited from having the tale reach the world nearly 30 years ago.
Year: 1991
Director: Mario Van Peebles
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Ice T, Allen Payne, Chris Rock, Judd Nelson, Russell Wong
New Jack City begins in the mid-’80s, right around the time that crack hit New York City hard. Flash forward a few years to when police officer Scotty Appleton (Ice-T) volunteers to go undercover to learn more about the violent CMB gang who operate out of an apartment complex turned drug factory, led by the ruthless Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes).
Before Ice-T released “Cop Killer,” menaced a cop on New York Undercover, then played one on TV, the rapper played an officer motivated by the brutal murder of his mother. His performance as Appleton was overshadowed by the unbridled treachery of Snipes’ Brown, and Chris Rock’s work as Pookie, a recovering crack addict turned police informant, is equal parts hilarious and tragic.
The anti-drug message may seem forced during present-day viewings, but keep in mind that New Jack City a sign of the time.
Year: 1983
Director: Charlie Ahearn
Cast: Lee Quinones, Sandra Fabara, Patti Astor, Fab 5 Freddy, Cold Crush Brothers, Rock Steady Crew, Busy Bee, Grandmixer DST
Considered the OG hip-hop film, Wild Style is also recognized as the genre’s best film. It depicted hip-hop’s early days, offering the initial look at its four elements: MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing. Aside from serving as a landmark beginner’s guide, its cast is composed of hip-hop forefathers like Grandmaster Flash, the Cold Crush Brothers, Fab 5 Freddy, and Lee Quinones.
The impact that Wild Style has had on the culture makes it the requisite hip-hop movie. Artists ranging from Nas to Black Star have sampled segments of the film, and Fab 5 Freddy explains that Wild Style was the most efficient way to explain all that hip-hop encompasses:
I wanted to show that for a culture to be complete, it should combine music, dance, and a visual art. I thought there were elements around that could be pulled together and made to look like one thing, and that a movie would help.
Hip-hop has evolved tremendously over the last three decades, but Fab 5 Freddy hit his target with Wild Style.
Year: 1992
Director: Ernest Dickerson
Cast: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins, Khalil Kain, Samuel L. Jackson, Cindy Herron, Queen Latifah
On one level, Juice is obviously a drama which speaks to how guns give the false notion of power, and how power corrupts. On another level, it’s inherently a hip-hop film. Ernest Dickerson’s directorial debut tells the story of four Harlem teens whose friendship is tried by an internal power struggle. “The Wrecking Crew”—Q (Omar Epps), Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Raheem (Khalil Kain) and Steel (Jermaine Hopkins)—cut school and bullshit through their teens until they decide to rob a local bodega. This changes their lives, the dynamic within the group, and interferes with Q’s passion: DJing.
That’s where hip-hop comes in, as Q’s hip-hop aspirations are one of Juice‘s main themes, and the planned robbery conflicts with the DJ battle in which he competes. In addition to being 2Pac’s breakthrough performance, Juice featured cameos from Queen Latifah, EMPD, Doctor Dré, Ed Lover, Fab 5 Freddy, and Special Ed.
Juice is about power because “juice” is power. The same thing that tore a group of generally good-natured teenagers apart is what made Nas’ “I Gave You Power” so compelling. Whether you love DJing or you’re still paralyzed by 2Pac’s icy glare, Juice remains one of those films you have to stop and watch whenever it’s on.
Year: 2002
Director: Curtis Hanson
Cast: Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, Michael Shannon, Kim Basinger
Eminem’s early days (particularly the dues he paid on the underground circuit) have long been a focal point of his music, as well a source of inspiration. Based on his humble beginnings in the Detroit area, 8 Mile provided a slightly less twisted look into how he balanced a frustrating working class lifestyle with a gift that burned inside of him.
Set in 1995, 8 Mile captured the gloom that existed in Detroit, long before the city fell apart financially. Eminem’s Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith, Jr. is constantly being humbled by life. His home situation (moving back in with his mom, who’s dating a dude he went to high school with) is demoralizing, and though he’s a gifted lyricist, stage fright prevents him from shining in local battles. His problems are worsened by the beef between his group of friendly bullshitters and their brash rivals, the Leaders of the Free World.
8 Mile perfectly frames a time when a white dude was far more likely to get ridiculed for even daring to take part in a battle. The battles, which feature rhymes written by the Juice Crew’s Craig G, are the film’s strongest moments. Some have dubbed 8 Mile hip-hop’s Purple Rain, and while it’s a slightly better film, the soundtrack isn’t quite as legendary. That’s not a slight, though: Eminem became the first hip-hop artist to win an Oscar, winning Best Original Song for “Lose Yourself.”
Year: 2002
Director: Charles Stone lll
Cast: Wood Harris, Cam’ron, Chi McBride, Mekhi Phifer, Regina Hall, Esai Morales, Elise Neal
Drug-dealer lore and hip-hop go hand-in-hand, as the street tales that passed down through generations have become the fuel for many a rap song. So many songs, lyrics, and careers have been influenced by these stories, and the dealings of Rich Porter, Albert “Alpo” Martinez, and Azie “AZ” Faison was brought through the masses through Paid in Full.
With the names changed to protect the not-so-innocent, the narrative follows Harlem native Ace (Wood Harris), who’s sucked into drug-dealing after becoming disenchanted with his job working at a dry cleaner. After partnering with his friend, Mitch (Mekhi Phifer), and the unpredictable Rico (Cam’ron), the trio form an empire in Harlem that’s eventually destroyed by greed.
Paid in Full places crack-era New York City under the spotlight, doing justice to the saga of three of the city’s most infamous drug kingpins. It focuses on the impact that Scarface had on a generation of impressionable youths who lacked positive examples. The surprise was Cam’ron’s turn as Rico, whose over-the-top personality is both charming and dangerous. Of all of Roc-A-Fella’s films, this is hands down the best.
Year: 1995
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Bernie Mac, Tiny “Zeus” Lister, Jr., John Witherspoon, Anna Maria Horsford, Regina King, Paula Jai Parker, DJ Pooh, Faizon Love, Tony Cox
After directing a few of Ice Cube’s videos, F. Gary Gray struck gold with his first feature film, the cult-classic comedy, Friday. Cube plays Craig, who’s experiencing a long weekend after getting fired from his job, allegedly for stealing boxes. (Is this ever confirmed? Does it even matter?) Anyway, his pothead friend Smokey (Chris Tucker) has a remedy for the situation: get high, because it’s Friday and there’s nothing better to do. Little does Craig know that Smokey, possibly the worst low-level drug dealer ever, has goaded him into getting high on his own supply when he’s already in debt to Big Worm (Faizon Love). They spend the day trying to raise the $200 Smokey owes Big Worm, all the while avoiding hulking neighborhood bully Deebo (Tiny “Zeus” Lister, Jr.) and trying to keep a close eye on everyone’s dream girl, Debbie (Nia Long).
Friday doesn’t force a deep message down your throat, the plot isn’t intricate, and a great portion of the film takes place on Craig’s front porch. The characters carry this movie and make it a classic. The loud, animated Smokey provides constant comic relief; Debbie is that around-the-way girl that every dude covets; and Craig is that laid-back hero who knocks the neighborhood bully the fuck out and gets the girl in the end. It’s your average friday in the ‘hood, except this one is endlessly quotable and has infinite replay value.
