Hip-hop stories have lingered in the indie scenes for ages, but they've been gaining ground in the mainstream over the last couple of years. These are some of the greats you may have missed:
1. Do the Right Thing
There are some good reasons this Spike Lee film and its characters are still regularly referenced 20 years after their debut. This movie is a must-see for fans of conscious hip-hop. The story is as relevant today as it was then, showing that we still have a long way to go.
2. CB4
After the heavy message of Do the Right Thing, the levity of Chris Rock's spoof CB4 is more than welcome. CB4 tackles the genre's issues with both misogyny and self-seriousness in hilarious and eye-opening ways. Also, if you don't spend the rest of the day randomly laughing at "yeah yeah I'm sucking your balls, best balls I ever sucked, yeah you got big balls," you are way more mature than I am.
3. Hustle and Flow
Southern hip-hop gets its due in this story about aging never-was DJay. By turns violent and hopeful, the aspiring rapper creates and mixtape and pushes his way forward toward an unlikely goal.
4. Fade to Black
Had JAY-Z really stuck with his plan to quit making music after The Black Album, Fade to Black would have made a hell of a swan song. The concert movie pulls together performances from artists that include Missy Elliott, Pharrell, and Beyonce, along with behind the scenes footage that shows how the album came to be made.
5. Get Rich or Die Tryin'
There are a lot of parallels to draw between 50 Cent's debut acting role and the highly autobiographical 8 Mile. This movie features a stirring performance from the rapper and actor, alongside a screenplay from Terrence Winter, who would later write the script for The Wolf of Wall Street and create the series Boardwalk Empire.
6. Straight Outta Compton
While the production of this biopic was notoriously troubled, the resulting movie was groundbreaking in more ways than one. It was a box office smash, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Its success will likely open up the door for more high-budget hip-hop movies to come.
Just wanna end by saying that, at no time in history, has someone written a top movie post that everyone agreed with. So, what movies do you think should be on here and which of my faves are overrated?