HipHop Movies
by They-Call-Me-Steve | created - 08 Sep 2014 | updated - 03 Jul 2018 | PublicNOT a random list of movies HipHop artists happened to star in, or movies that have nothing to do with Hiphop beyond their soundtrack. Specifically, these are movies where HipHop culture (4 elements) plays a major part of the plot or prominent subplot, though sometimes it's a judgement call. Good bad and ugly I also included HipHop musicals.
NOTE: not saying all these movies are good, or even a good representation of the culture necessarily. Some are downright terrible and exploit the culture to be honest, but they all fit the subject matter to qualify.
I left out documentaries, that's a whole other list, found richtchere - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075334111/
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1. Wild Style (1982)
R | 82 min | Drama, Music
South Bronx graffiti artist Zoro is commissioned to paint a backdrop for a hip-hop concert.
Director: Charlie Ahearn | Stars: Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, Fab 5 Freddy, Patti Astor
Votes: 2,947
The HipHop movie that started it all. This is NOT a documentary despite what it says on IMDB, although it does document HipHop at the time quite lovely.
2. Beat Street (1984)
PG | 105 min | Drama, Music
An aspiring DJ from the South Bronx and his best friend, a promoter, try to get into show business by exposing people to hip-hop music and the local culture.
Director: Stan Lathan | Stars: Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet, Leon W. Grant
Votes: 4,324 | Gross: $16.60M
Sort of a glamorized version of Wild Style in how it was produced, I've heard at least a few 'purists' denounce it. Still a classic though, with many great cameos and HipHop moments. Melle Mel title track comes to mind, as does the Treacherous 3 featuring Doug E Fresh Santa's Rap.
3. Breakin' (1984)
PG | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A struggling young jazz dancer meets up with two break-dancers. Together they become the sensation of the street crowds.
Director: Joel Silberg | Stars: Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers, Ben Lokey
Votes: 7,237 | Gross: $38.68M
Pretty terrible movie really, but it does have a few cool BBoy moments with Shabba-Doo and Boogaloo Shrimp. Early document of West Coast HipHop, lots of popping and locking, plus a young Ice-T thrown in there for good measure.
4. Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)
PG | 94 min | Comedy, Drama, Musical
A developer tries to bulldoze a community recreation center. The local breakdancers try to stop it.
Director: Sam Firstenberg | Stars: Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers, Susie Coelho
Votes: 4,789 | Gross: $15.10M
Worse than the first one, but I will always give it credit for the 'electric boogaloo' title, that still pleases me to this day.
5. Body Rock (1984)
PG-13 | 93 min | Drama, Music, Musical
Chilly is just a guy from the streets with a talent for break-dancing. When his wicked moves catch the eye of an industry pro, Chilly finds his dreams of fame and fortune coming true, for better or for worse.
Director: Marcelo Epstein | Stars: Lorenzo Lamas, Vicki Frederick, Cameron Dye, Michelle Nicastro
Votes: 569 | Gross: $1.69M
Another old school BBoy movie, though lesser known, along the lines of Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, not good or noteworthy beyond the mid 80's era release. Pretty sure I caught it on TV once way the hell back, but not positive to be honest.
6. Krush Groove (1985)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
The story of a man who has started a new hip-hop/rap label called Krush Groove.
Director: Michael Schultz | Stars: Sheila E., Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, Jam Master Jay
Votes: 3,548 | Gross: $11.05M
Loosely based on Russell Simmons and the rise of Def Jam records. Part comedy part drama with some musical elements. Has a strong hint of cheese factor, but with all the HipHop artists in there it's still a classic.
7. Rappin' (1985)
PG | 92 min | Drama, Music, Musical
An ex-con and break-dancer helps save a neighborhood from a greedy developer while trying to win a rap contest.
Director: Joel Silberg | Stars: Mario Van Peebles, Eriq La Salle, Melvin Plowden, Richie Abanes
Votes: 606 | Gross: $2.86M
Still haven't seen it to this day, not sure how it passed me by to be honest. While I prefer to form my own opinion I have heard nothing but negative things about this one on all sides.
8. Knights of the City (1986)
R | 87 min | Action, Music
A street gang that is also a rap group tries to get a record contract.
Director: Dominic Orlando | Stars: Leon Isaac Kennedy, Nicholas Campbell, John Mengatti, Stoney Jackson
Votes: 249 | Gross: $0.60M
Starring the Fat Boys and Kurtis Blow, this sounds like a cross between the Warriors and Krush Groove and that's all I need to say.
9. Tougher Than Leather (1988)
R | 87 min | Crime, Drama, Music
Legendary hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. stars in this cross between a blaxploitation film and a spaghetti western. They must find and punish the evil drug lord-record company executive who ... See full summary »
Director: Rick Rubin | Stars: Darryl McDaniels, Daniel Simmons, Jam Master Jay, Joseph Simmons
Votes: 379 | Gross: $3.58M
Half action comedy, though I'm not so sure the comedy was intentional, sort of HipHop version of Blues Brothers. Run DMC play a fictional version of themselves and Rick Ruben plays the music executive villain and it has some great cameos from other HipHop artists, most notably the Beastie Boys.
10. Identity Crisis (1989)
R | 90 min | Comedy
A rapper finds himself possessed by the soul of a dead fashion designer; frequently switching personalities.
Director: Melvin Van Peebles | Stars: Mario Van Peebles, Glenn Athaide, Rick Aviles, Richard Bassett
Votes: 1,159
Another Mario Van Peebles HipHop movie from the 80's that I haven't seen. Now, I think Mario is a great filmmaker, but this, and Rappin' just look downright smelly. Maybe I'm wrong though. Luckily he came back hard with New Jack City.
11. House Party (1990)
R | 100 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Kid decides to go to his friend Play's house party, but neither of them can predict what's in store for them on what could be the wildest night of their lives.
Director: Reginald Hudlin | Stars: Christopher Reid, Robin Harris, Christopher Martin, Martin Lawrence
Votes: 16,715 | Gross: $26.39M
This came out when I was 12 and I loved it. Probably seen it 20 or 30 times. While it was a watered down slightly more radio friendly version of the culture, it's still a classic for its time period, and went a long way to introduce HipHop to new demographics. Fun fact, before casting Kid N Play, it was originally written for DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
12. House Party 2 (1991)
R | 94 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
When Kid's college money is stolen by a crooked music promoter, Play's solution is to stage the 'mutha' of all pajama parties. Starring Kid 'n Play and Martin Lawrence.
Directors: George Jackson, Doug McHenry | Stars: Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, Martin Lawrence, Bowlegged Lou
Votes: 7,103 | Gross: $19.28M
Not as good as the first one, but not bad either. In addition to Kid N Play they got Queen Latifah in this one, plus an unusual and unexpected minor role from Kamron of Young Black Teenagers fame. Decent sequel.
13. Cool as Ice (1991)
PG | 91 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A rapper gets stuck in a small town and falls for a local girl whose family is in witness protection.
Director: David Kellogg | Stars: Vanilla Ice, Kristin Minter, Naomi Campbell, Deezer D
Votes: 10,444 | Gross: $1.19M
Terrible, I don't even want to include this on the list to be honest, but technically it fits the bill, exploitative as it may be. I always hated 'best-movie-ever' and 'worst-movie-ever' comic book guy extremist types, but this truly was one of the worst movies I ever seen, easy, bottom 10 for sure. It also destroyed, or at least put a damper on, the career of Steven 'Michael Gross' Keaton.
14. Juice (1992)
R | 95 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Four inner-city teenagers get caught up in the pursuit of power and happiness, which they refer to as "the juice".
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson | Stars: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine Hopkins, Khalil Kain
Votes: 30,348 | Gross: $20.15M
Aside from the DJ subplot, the story had very little to do with HipHop per se. However, the debut of Tupac as an actor, tons of cameos from other respected HipHoppers, a classic soundtrack including a BombSquad score, the NY location, and the DJ battle footage makes this a HipHop movie to its core.
15. Zebrahead (1992)
R | 100 min | Drama, Romance
A white, hip-hop loving teen falls in love with a black girl.
Director: Anthony Drazan | Stars: Michael Rapaport, DeShonn Castle, Kevin Corrigan, Lois Bendler
Votes: 1,467 | Gross: $1.47M
Solid movie, underrated I'd say. More of a romance drama action type movie about interracial relationships than about HipHop. That said, it covers some early taboos about white people being into HipHop. Michael Rappaport has always tried to show his real life love for the culture, most notably with his ATCQ documentary, and his character here is a mixtape DJ. Also, I believe Half Time by Nas made its debut in this movie.
16. CB4 (1993)
R | 89 min | Comedy, Music
A guy makes a documentary of the rap band CB4 by following them. CB4 got popular by stealing Gusto's name, background and image. He wants them dead.
Director: Tamra Davis | Stars: Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D, Chris Elliott
Votes: 10,420 | Gross: $17.95M
Loved this when it was new. It came out at a time when I was 15 and HipHop was the only thing I cared about. In retrospect, it was never a great movie, however still funny, still has its moments, was a clever commentary on the culture at the time and the soundtrack is still noteworthy. The parodies in particular.
17. Fear of a Black Hat (1993)
R | 88 min | Comedy, Music
A mockumentary chronicling the rise and fall of NWH, a not particularly talented--or particularly bright but always controversial--hip-hop group.
Director: Rusty Cundieff | Stars: Larry B. Scott, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Rusty Cundieff, Kasi Lemmons
Votes: 4,588 | Gross: $0.24M
Was made around the same time as CB4 and has a similar concept. It's sort of like 'Spinal Tap meets a better version of CB4' but sadly never got the same credit due to its lower budget and mostly unknown cast. The soundtrack was all parodies and it was hilarious. Highly recommended.
18. Poetic Justice (1993)
R | 109 min | Drama, Romance
Grieving hairdresser Justice goes on a road trip from South Central L.A. to Oakland on a mail truck alongside her friend and an obnoxious postal worker.
Director: John Singleton | Stars: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King, Joe Torry
Votes: 16,621 | Gross: $27.52M
More of a romance movie than anything else. Still, Tupac plays an aspiring HipHop artist in the subplot and it has noteworthy appearances from Q-Tip and Tone Loc.
19. Who's the Man? (1993)
R | 85 min | Comedy, Drama, Mystery
The two worst barbers in Harlem become cops while a real estate developer forces people out of Harlem.
Director: Ted Demme | Stars: Ed Lover, Doctor Dré, Badja Djola, Cheryl 'Salt' James
Votes: 8,805 | Gross: $11.30M
Story wise, this has very little to do with HipHop culture, it's a cop comedy. However, it has a who's who cast of HipHop cameos of the time unlike anything we seen on film before or since, even many of the extras with no dialog were played by HipHop legends, and the soundtrack speaks for itself.
20. House Party 3 (1994)
R | 100 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Kid, after a lifetime 'playing the field', is about to get married. 'Play' plans to throw the best bachelor party ever - until 'Kid's' three wise-crackin' nephews come to town, intent on showing them what parties are all about.
Director: Eric Meza | Stars: Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, David Edwards, Angela Means
Votes: 5,626 | Gross: $19.28M
I know they kept making these after the 3rd one, but this will be the last House Party I include on this list. They just keep getting worse like the American Pie straight-to-DVD movies and I feel the need to draw a line somewhere. That said, even this third installment is a HUGE drop in quality from the first two on every level.
21. Slam (1998)
R | 100 min | Drama
Grand Jury Prize, 1998 Sundance Film Festival. A talented youth (Saul Williams) copes with urban crime and despair by competing in poetry slams. Sonja Sohn of "The Wire" costars.
Director: Marc Levin | Stars: Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone, Lawrence Wilson
Votes: 2,450 | Gross: $0.98M
Loved this movie, highly underrated. Saul Williams is one of the greatest Slam poets of all time and really gets to display that here, some very memorable performances from him. Plus Bonz Malone is in it as well.
22. Bulworth (1998)
R | 108 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.
Director: Warren Beatty | Stars: Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Kimberly Deauna Adams, Vinny Argiro
Votes: 27,293 | Gross: $26.53M
While I think they meant well, this was a poorly done political comedy and a poor representation of HipHop. I kinda felt bad for Warren Beatty by the end of it to be honest, but again, I think his heart was probably in the right place. just misguided. It also introduced the world to that Ghetto Superstar song everybody hates so much.
23. Whiteboyz (1999)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama
In Flip's path towards "keeping it real" by becoming hip-hop star, harsh realities surface to shake up his world.
Director: Marc Levin | Stars: Danny Hoch, Dash Mihok, Mark Webber, Piper Perabo
Votes: 2,042 | Gross: $0.04M
If you're unfamiliar with Danny Hoch, he has a book, CD and one-man show all titled 'Jails, Hospitals & Hip Hop' I recommend all of it. One of the characters from his show - a white suburbanite wanna be gangsta rapper - is the basis for this movie, and it translates well into a film. As you can see from the poster art, it also features a solid cast of cameos from respected Hiphop artists.
24. Black & White (I) (1999)
R | 98 min | Crime, Drama, Music
A group of white high school teens become involved with Harlem's black hip-hop crowd.
Director: James Toback | Stars: Ben Stiller, Allan Houston, Claudia Schiffer, Scott Caan
Votes: 6,049 | Gross: $5.24M
Truth be told, I saw this in theaters when it first came out, but I can't remember a damn thing from it. I do remember it had a solid cast, but turned out to be a disappointing jumbled up mess of a movie. It did have some Wu-Tang members in it spitting rhymes, perhaps its one saving grace.
25. Bamboozled (2000)
R | 135 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A frustrated African-American TV writer proposes a blackface minstrel show in protest, but to his chagrin, it becomes a hit.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Damon Wayans, Savion Glover, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Rapaport
Votes: 12,347 | Gross: $2.27M
More a commentary on pop culture stereotypes on a TV platform than a music one, but with The Roots as the TV band, plus the Mau Maus HipHop crew, consisting of Mos Def, Canibus, MC Serch, etc, fits this movie on the list.
26. Da Hip Hop Witch (2000 Video)
R | 90 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
5 white kids get lost in the hood looking for da hip hop witch, a year later their footage was found.
Director: Dale Resteghini | Stars: Stacii Jae Johnson, Dale Resteghini, Mia Tyler, Steve Grillo
Votes: 1,339
Despite the HipHop cast and cameos, I avoided this movie like the plague. Nothing good can come of this. No comment.
27. Turn It Up (2000)
R | 86 min | Crime, Drama, Action
A gifted musician struggles to rise above the crime-plagued urban streets and realize his dream.
Director: Robert Adetuyi | Stars: Pras Michel, Ja Rule, Jason Statham, Vondie Curtis-Hall
Votes: 1,394 | Gross: $1.24M
Pretty awful movie about an aspiring HipHop artist and his manager and the crimes they commit in order to afford recording a demo, and some other stuff, I guess. Kind of a mess really, poorly done on every level with Pras in the lead as the HipHop artist if you can believe that.
28. Wave Twisters (2001)
Unrated | 46 min | Animation, Adventure, Musical
A crew of heroes, cleverly disguised as a team of oral hygenists, is determined to save the lost arts of Hip Hop (B-boying, Graffiti, MCing, and of course, Skratching) from total extinction... See full summary »
Directors: Syd Garon, Eric Henry | Stars: DJ Q-Bert, D-Styles, Flare, Buckethead
Votes: 561
Sadly I don't know much about this one, but not on purpose. I love Q-Bert, the concept sounds cool and the box art is incredible so naturally it's on my 'to see' list, but I have yet to see a copy or screening of this in person anywhere.
29. Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 88 min | Drama, Musical
A contemporary, urban retelling of the classic story, Carmen: A Hip Hopera follows the life of a police sergeant whose world is turned upside down when an irresistible woman enters his life.
Director: Robert Townsend | Stars: Mekhi Phifer, Beyoncé, Yasiin Bey, Rah Digga
Votes: 1,556
A HipHop musical, first of its kind far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong, makes this TV movie somewhat of an ambitious project. This came on TV a few times and I only ever caught glimpses of it, never had the chance to sit down and watch it straight through. That said, any criticism/praise I give it should be taken with a grain of salt. What I can say is I liked the concept, but it didn't draw me in, and the cast is an unbalanced mixed bag of artists, some I like, most I dislike.
30. Too Legit: The MC Hammer Story (2001 TV Movie)
90 min | Biography, Drama
This film is an unbiased look into the rise and fall of late 80's and early 90's rap superstar MC Hammer. It begins showing Hammer as a ball boy for his hometown Oakland Athletics, and ends... See full summary »
Director: Artie Mandelberg | Stars: Romany Malco, Tangi Miller, Royale Watkins, Kareem J. Grimes
Votes: 362
Not sure how often they play this and I never seen it available on DVD or anything. May be the first biopic about a rap artist, and when I spotted Romany Malco of 40 Year Old Virgin fame played Hammer it sparked my interest. I was unable to find it online, but did manage to find several clips. It was laughably bad. His buddy Tupac shows up and from what I did see, the movie feels like it's trying way too hard to cash in on that Hammer/Tupac friendship than anything else.
31. 8 Mile (2002)
R | 110 min | Drama, Music
Follows a young rapper in the Detroit area, struggling with every aspect of his life; he wants to make it big but his friends and foes make this odyssey of rap harder than it may seem.
Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Eminem, Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer
Votes: 320,692 | Gross: $116.72M
Not a biopic exactly, but sort of. Say what you will about Eminem, love him or hate him, this movie was well made. A little over dramatic at times but otherwise it managed to appeal to Hollywood sensibilities while managing to stay culturally authentic at the same time, much like Eminem himself I suppose. No easy feat. Most importantly, the battle footage didn't disappoint.
32. Bomb the System (2002)
R | 91 min | Action, Drama
A tribute to graffiti art and the city where it all began. Blest, a 19-year-old graffiti writer, has just graduated from high school. With no ambition toward mainstream goals of work and ... See full summary »
Director: Adam Bhala Lough | Stars: Mark Webber, Jade Scott Yorker, Jaclyn DeSantis, Gano Grills
Votes: 1,063 | Gross: $0.01M
Pretty good movie about Graffiti. I have heard/read Graffiti artists denounce it and nitpick its authenticity, but as there really isn't a whole lot of movies about the subject, and its independent status allows the needed artistic freedom to tell a story like this, I welcome it. Throw in Bonz Malone and a score by El-P and I'm happy with how it turned out.
33. Brown Sugar (2002)
PG-13 | 109 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Friends since childhood, a magazine editor and a hip-hop record executive stumble into romantic territory.
Director: Rick Famuyiwa | Stars: Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Yasiin Bey, Nicole Ari Parker
Votes: 10,238 | Gross: $27.36M
Been a while since I seen this, only caught it once when it was new so I really don't want to get into too much detail, but I do recall really enjoying it. Will have to check it again sometime soon so I can refresh my memory.
34. Play'd: A Hip Hop Story (2002 TV Movie)
R | 87 min | Drama
An up and coming rap artist struggling to find his own voice winds up in the middle of a dangerous turf war when egos violently collide within the music industry.
Director: Oz Scott | Stars: Rashaan Nall, Toni Braxton, Faizon Love, Sharissa
Votes: 150
Never heard of it until compiling this list, probably because it was made for TV, but from what I can tell the story loosely follows the East coast West coast beef.
35. Anne B. Real (2003)
PG-13 | 91 min | Drama
The coming of age story of a young female rapper, who finds her inspiration by reading the Diary of Anne Frank.
Director: Lisa France | Stars: Carlos Leon, Eric Smith, Jackie Quinones, Sherri Saum
Votes: 3,851
Found this one while compiling this list. Haven't seen it, so no comment, but it sounds intriguing.
36. Death of a Dynasty (2003)
R | 92 min | Musical, Comedy
Dash is the CEO of Roc-a-Fella records, home to hip-hop's biggest seller: Jay Z. The film tells the story of a beef between Dash and Z over a disconcertingly teenage looking party chick called Picasso.
Director: Damon Dash | Stars: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Robert Stapleton, Capone Lee, Loon
Votes: 417 | Gross: $0.04M
Never seen it, don't much care, looks bad, maybe I'm wrong and willing to admit that if so, but for now no comment.
37. Marci X (2003)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Music
A Jewish-American Princess is forced to take control of a hard-core hip-hop record label and tries to rein the one of the label's most controversial rappers.
Director: Richard Benjamin | Stars: Lisa Kudrow, Damon Wayans, Richard Benjamin, Jane Krakowski
Votes: 5,490 | Gross: $1.65M
Caught like 5 minutes of this and not ashamed to admit I had to turn it off. I like Damon Wayans, but his movie career is pretty hit or miss. This one seemed particularly terrible.
38. Malibu's Most Wanted (2003)
PG-13 | 86 min | Comedy, Crime
A senator arranges for his son, a rich white kid who fancies himself black, to be kidnapped by a couple of black actors pretending to be murderers to try and shock him out of his plans to become a rapper.
Director: John Whitesell | Stars: Jamie Kennedy, Ryan O'Neal, Blair Underwood, Taye Diggs
Votes: 20,869 | Gross: $34.31M
Didn't bother with this one and have no intention to, as it looks pretty stupid, exploitative, and I don't particularly find Jamie Kennedy to be all that funny. Not my bag, though I guess he has moments and I'll give him credit for his Heckler documentary, but I digress. It does seem to have some notable HipHop cameos in it though.
39. Quality of Life (2004)
R | 85 min | Drama
Celebrated graffiti artists 'Heir' and 'Vain' are superstars in the underground world of San Francisco; urban outlaws always on the run. After a clash with the law, they find their lives spinning out-of-control with explosive consequences.
Director: Benjamin Morgan | Stars: Lane Garrison, Brian Burnam, Luis Saguar, Mackenzie Firgens
Votes: 324
Also known as Against the Wall, alternate title, this is a movie about a Graffiti artist in the Bay Area. While perhaps not revolutionary or mind-blowing, I enjoyed it and recommend it
40. Men Without Jobs (2004)
R | 108 min | Comedy
Two best friends - a graffiti artist with hip-hop dreams and an obnoxious loudmouth with a cooking show addiction - share one main goal in life: to avoid work at all costs.
Director: Mad Matthewz | Stars: David Anzuelo, Stephanie Berry, Ishmael Butler, Reg E. Cathey
Votes: 81
Also known as Planet Brooklyn, alternate title, starring Ishmael Butler in the lead, otherwise known as Butterfly from Digable Planets. I found the DVD in a clearance bin once and gave it a shot. Butterfly plays a Graffiti artist and aspiring MC. Bonz Malone plays his buddy in a supporting role and ultimately steals the show. Light independent comedy, not a bad movie really but nothing to write home about, ultimately I recommend it with the understanding that it isn't for everybody.
41. The Breakdance Kid (2004)
Not Rated | 87 min | Comedy
In 1984, loser pizza guy Whitey Johnson is run over by a semi truck on live television, making him a local hero. The world watches as Whitey vows to not only walk again but to win his ... See full summary »
Director: Larry McLaughlin | Stars: Andre Meadows, Brandie Riggs, Andrea Morton, Dustin Fasching
Votes: 41
Never seen this, don't really care, it looks awful, maybe I'm wrong. Never even heard of it until making this list to be honest, when someone pointed out on the Kickin' It Old School page that they might have stole the idea from this one. Oh well, two bald men fighting over a comb, not my concern.
42. Hustle & Flow (2005)
R | 116 min | Crime, Drama, Music
With help from his friends, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee.
Director: Craig Brewer | Stars: Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning
Votes: 43,213 | Gross: $22.20M
Wasn't expecting much from this one, as up until then I hate to admit I was mostly sleeping on the Dirty South. After giving it a chance however, I'm not ashamed to admit how wrong I was. While I'm still not a big fan of that Southern style of HipHop, this movie certainly gave me a whole new appreciation for it. Solid story and acting on top of all that.
43. Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005)
R | 117 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A tale of an inner city drug dealer who turns away from a life of crime to pursue his passion of rap music.
Director: Jim Sheridan | Stars: 50 Cent, Joy Bryant, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Omar Benson Miller
Votes: 50,148 | Gross: $30.98M
Not a biopic, but what ever feelings you may have towards him as a HipHop artist or otherwise, this is the 50 Cent version of 8 Mile. Not nearly as good though.
44. Idlewild (2006)
R | 121 min | Crime, Drama, Musical
At a sexy, sizzling nightclub, pianist Percival lives life by the rules, while Rooster, the club's flashy lead performer, struts his stuff on the stage. But all changes when greed, fame and murder threaten to destroy them and the joint.
Director: Bryan Barber | Stars: André 3000, Big Boi, Terrence Howard, Paula Patton
Votes: 5,761 | Gross: $12.55M
Never liked musicals, but I have always been a fan of OutKast, so I checked it out. I'm glad I did, it was a solid movie.
45. Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary (2007)
R | 82 min | Comedy
The hardest group you've never heard of is back. After several run ins with the law, shady business management, failed comeback attempts and countless child custody cases, they've just inked a deal with rap powerhouse Innersounds Records.
Director: Coke Daniels | Stars: Dian Bachar, Malik Barnhardt, Howie Bell, Tom'ya Bowden
Votes: 326
Mocumentary along the same lines as Fear of a Black Hat. No comment though, as I have never seen a copy of this anywhere before, but if I do I'll probably give it a chance.
46. Feel the Noise (2007)
PG-13 | 86 min | Drama, Music
A young man from the South Bronx dreams of making it as a rapper, until a run-in with local thugs forces him to hide in Puerto Rico with the father he never knew.
Director: Alejandro Chomski | Stars: Omarion, Giancarlo Esposito, Melonie Diaz, Rosa Arredondo
Votes: 4,811 | Gross: $5.87M
Jennifer Lopez made this one. I never seen it, but from the description it's more about Reggaeton than HipHop.
47. Kickin' It Old Skool (2007)
PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Sport
A young breakdancer hits his head during a talent show and slips into a coma for twenty years. Waking up in 2006, he looks to revive his and his team's career with the help of his girlfriend and his parents.
Director: Harvey Glazer | Stars: Jamie Kennedy, Maria Menounos, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Michael Rosenbaum
Votes: 7,398 | Gross: $4.50M
Another stupid Jamie Kennedy HipHop exploitation movie, but unlike Malibu's Most Wanted I did see this one. He plays a break dancer in this one who injured himself in a BBoy battle and wakes up 20 years later, only to be in his 30's, and keeps on trying to battle. Pretty bad, though it had some funny moments I guess, the homeless guy in particular. Also it's cool that Lazy Legs was in it.
48. Rapturious (2007)
Not Rated | 96 min | Horror
Hip-hop meets horror in this twisted tale directed by Kamal Ahmed (The Jerky Boys). Binging on hard drugs, white rapper Rapturious spins into murderous hallucinations - or is he really committing these blood-splattering crimes?
Director: Kamal Ahmed | Stars: Stuart Rudin, Nick Ramus, Jim Fletcher, William Smith
Votes: 348
Pretty terrible horror movie about an aspiring HipHop artist who has horrific visions and people die and blah blah blah ... weird, hard to follow, mind trip type movie that ends up going nowhere. I love horror movies and I love HipHop obviously, but this movie was just bad. Not that good kinda so-bad-it's-good way like many low budget horror movies either, this was just plain terrible. Notable only in that it was written and directed by Kamal Ahmed of Jerky Boys fame.
49. Rome & Jewel (2008)
91 min | Drama, Musical
This modernization of Shakespear's tragic love story Romeo and Juliette is set in Los Angeles against a backdrop of inter-racial romance.
Director: Charles T. Kanganis | Stars: Nate Parker, Lindsey Haun, Allen Maldonado, Elijah Kelley
Votes: 155
HipHop musical take on Romeo & Juliet. Reviews were awful and it looks bad. No interest, so no comment.
50. Notorious (2009)
R | 122 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The life and death story of The Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace), who came straight out of Brooklyn to take the world of rap music by storm.
Director: George Tillman Jr. | Stars: Jamal Woolard, Anthony Mackie, Derek Luke, Momo Dione
Votes: 46,047 | Gross: $36.84M
Solid biopic, but certainly not without its flaws. The portrayal of Notorious BIG by Jamal Woolard felt spot on, or at least as much as you could expect it to be, and I had no problem with how they presented his career highlights. However, no disrespect to Jamal Woolard, but anything in regards to Christopher Wallace's personal life felt a little flat. Many other notable HipHop artists were portrayed to various degree, I won't get into all that other than to say some good, some not so good, and some with serious artistic liberties taken.
51. A Day in the Life (II) (2009)
R | 90 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Bad blood between two urban crime families explodes into an all-out turf war in this gritty, hard-hitting drama set to rap and starring music legend Sticky Fingaz.
Director: Sticky Fingaz | Stars: Alvin 'Porky' Holland, Bokeem Woodbine, Chris Fleming, Clarence Williams III
Votes: 703
Still have yet to see this sadly, as I have yet to see a copy in person, but my buddy said he found a copy at a corner store once. What I can say, this is Sticky Fingaz taking HipHop musicals to a whole new level, as most every word of dialog is apparently spit in rhyme form. Beyond that, I loved his album 'Blacktrash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones' which plays out like an audio movie itself. High on my to see list.
52. Filly Brown (2012)
R | 80 min | Drama, Music
A promising hip-hop rhymer from Los Angeles finds herself in a gray area when a record producer offers her a compromising shot at stardom.
Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos | Stars: Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Lou Diamond Phillips, Edward James Olmos
Votes: 1,183 | Gross: $2.83M
Mostly awful. I caught this on Netflix one time, it's about an aspiring artist trying to overcome obstacles to break into the business and blah blah blah ... Honestly the music sucked, the story was poor, the acting was bad aside from Lou Diamond Phillips, and I barely made it to the end. It felt like a HipHop movie made by people who don't listen to HipHop.
53. Let It Shine (2012 TV Movie)
TV-G | 104 min | Drama, Family, Music
A teenage rapper must use his musical talent to battle his nemesis and win the girl of his dreams.
Director: Paul Hoen | Stars: Tyler James Williams, Coco Jones, Trevor Jackson, Toni Winzy-Cutno
Votes: 4,530
Disney movie about a child rap star. Really not my demographic so I skipped it, and I have a hard time believing Disney would ever do HipHop any kind of justice on film, but it might be good for the youths, I really wouldn't know.
54. Big Words (2013)
93 min | Comedy, Drama
Members of a once-promising hip-hop group, now in their late 30's, struggle with regret, disappointment, and change on Election Night 2008.
Director: Neil Drumming | Stars: Dorian Missick, Suzy Jane Hunt, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Darien Sills-Evans
Votes: 292 | Gross: $0.01M
Caught this on Netflix at random one night and loved it. Taking place during the first Obama election, it's about a talented, but failed HipHop group from the early 90's era who haven't spoken in quite some time until events in this movie unfold and once again bring them together to deal with their past issues. They did a great job at making the characters feel authentic. Also, it features Jean Grae in a small role. I recommend it.
55. Caught on Tape (2013)
R | 66 min | Crime, Musical
With nothing but footage from a security tape, two detectives try to solve a bank robbery by interrogating the one surviving crew member.
Director: Sticky Fingaz | Stars: Pat Crawford Brown, Cedric The Entertainer, David Cooper, Ellie Cornell
Votes: 288
Another Sticky Fingaz musical on my 'to see' list, much like A Day in the Life. I'll get to them eventually.
56. White T (2013)
R | 94 min | Comedy
Herbert and Henry (Jerod and Jamal Mixon) are twin brothers who dream of becoming the biggest rap stars in the game. Their chance at superstardom comes after they buy a T-shirt with a ... See full summary »
Director: Lance Frank | Stars: Jamal Mixon, Jerod Mixon, Eric Roberts, Deion Sanders
Votes: 511
Hot garbage. I didn't even want to include it on here it's so terrible, but since the storyline revolved around a local HipHop talent show in which the main characters take part, it fits the mold of this list.
57. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
R | 147 min | Biography, Drama, History
The rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.
Director: F. Gary Gray | Stars: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.
Votes: 218,409 | Gross: $161.20M
Raised the bar and set new standards on what a HipHop biopic can and should be. The success of it will probably inspire a whole bunch of new ones, but I think this is going to be the biopic to beat for a long time.
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