10 Hip-Hop Biopics That Should Get Made

 
10 Hip-Hop Biopics That Should Get Made

With Straight Outta Compton finishing first at the box office two weeks in a row and already grossing over $100 million dollars, the movie industry has certainly taken notice. Not only does Master P have a biopic slated for release next year, a 2Pac film with Marcc Rose (who played Pac in Straight Outta Compton) and John Singleton is possibly in the works, and there were even rumors of a Straight Outta Compton sequel called Dogg Pound 4 Life, which chronicled the lives of Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac during the Death Row Records era. Universal Pictures has since denied that the Dogg Pound flick is on their schedule, but the attention that rumor received proves that the public has an appetite for Hip-Hop biopics.

N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton movie is a great example of how the stories behind the music are just as compelling as the music itself. And because Hip-Hop has countless interesting stories to tell, there are no doubt other rap

With Straight Outta Compton finishing first at the box office two weeks in a row and already grossing over $100 million dollars, the movie industry has certainly taken notice. Not only does Master P have a biopic slated for release next year, a 2Pac film with Marcc Rose (who played Pac in Straight Outta Compton) and John Singleton is possibly in the works, and there were even rumors of a Straight Outta Compton sequel called Dogg Pound 4 Life, which chronicled the lives of Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac during the Death Row Records era. Universal Pictures has since denied that the Dogg Pound flick is on their schedule, but the attention that rumor received proves that the public has an appetite for Hip-Hop biopics.

N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton movie is a great example of how the stories behind the music are just as compelling as the music itself. And because Hip-Hop has countless interesting stories to tell, there are no doubt other rap figures whose careers could be told on the silver screen in an inspiring way. So, here's a list of 10 other Hip-Hop biopics that should definitely get made. Check it out...



01). Run-DMC

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The trio of Run-DMC have on more than one occasion been described as The Beatles of rap, and that's a very accurate comparison. Like how John, Paul, George, and Ringo led the British Invasion, Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay led Hip-Hop into the mainstream. Their work is timeless and transcended just music, it changed the look, sound, and attitude of popular culture forever.

 

 

10). EPMD

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Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are a remarkable rap duo that have gone their separate ways and reunited more than one time. Combine that with, among other things, the impact of Strictly Business, EPMD making Redman a star, Sermon's health issues, and Smith's home allegedly being burglarized by someone Sermon paid to do it- that would make one helluva movie. This is definitely an instance where reality is stranger than fiction.





09). A Tribe Called Quest

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Michael Rapaport's 2011 documentary about ATCQ is awesome! And so including Tribe on this list is in no way a knock to that. Just like there have been documentaries on other artists as well as biopics, it would be great to see the story of A Tribe Called Quest told in various ways too. Besides, they gave the world a few incredible albums and so they definitely deserve a few incredible movies in return.

Juice Crew

Founded by the legendary Marley Marl and DJ Mr. Magic, the Juice Crew is one of the most influential and respected movements to ever sweep through hip hop. Formed during rap's Golden Era, The Crew consisted of heavyweights like Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Kool G Rap and MC Shan. Equipped with the hard-hitting beats of Marley Marl, the mostly Queensbridge-based collective is known for their stream of "answer records," especially their infamous "Bridge Wars" with KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions. The battle was officially doused in 2007 when Marley Marl released a collaborative LP with KRS-One entitled Hip Hop Lives. Today, the Juice Crew is still respected for their reign during the '80s, their influence on veteran MCs and fans alike and their many musical contributions.

            

08). The Juice Crew

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A film about this legendary Hip-Hop collective, The Vapors, actually began production a few years ago. However, due to casting issues, it has since stalled. Hopefully, the film will eventually get made because that crew created some of the best music in Hip-Hop history and participated in some of its most notable battles.





07). Geto Boys

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This group has an intriguing story. They played a big role in putting Rap-A-Lot Records on the map, refused to compromise their sound, and, for a period of time, repped an entire region instead of just a city. And while Scarface recently said he is never reuniting with the Geto Boys ("That's a page in history that is closed for me. I'm done. That's never going to happen again."), the page is undeniably a very important one in Hip-Hop history.





06). Beastie Boys

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These 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees evolved over their careers like few other acts in the history of Hip-Hop. They started as a punk band, then moved into rock and rap. They went from have a large hydraulic penis as a stage prop to speaking out against sexual assault on MTV. The trail that they blazed has been followed by many. And they made some really dope records along the way too.





05). Jay Z

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Jay Z is widely regarded as a contender for the GOAT. In addition to his impeccable rhyme skills, his business acumen, consistency (even with a 3-year "retirement" from albums in the 00's), and influence make him a force to be reckoned with unlike anything Hip-Hop has ever seen. He became a superstar back in 1998 with "Hard Knock Life [Ghetto Anthem]" and hasn't slowed down since.





04). Diddy

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While Notorious addressed Diddy's success to a degree, he was obviously not the focus of the film. But Mr. Combs' story should be told as well. From being an intern, to an A&R that eventually got fired, to helping mold two of urban music's best acts ever (Biggie and Mary J. Blige), and building a music empire, his achievements are astonishing. Simply put, Hip-Hop would not be the global force it is today if it weren't for some of the contributions Diddy has made to it in his iconic career.

04). Diddy

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While Notorious addressed Diddy's success to a degree, he was obviously not the focus of the film. But Mr. Combs' story should be told as well. From being an intern, to an A&R that eventually got fired, to helping mold two of urban music's best acts ever (Biggie and Mary J. Blige), and building a music empire, his achievements are astonishing. Simply put, Hip-Hop would not be the global force it is today if it weren't for some of the contributions Diddy has made to it in his iconic career.

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03). Wu-Tang Clan

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This 9-man collective didn't just help revive New York rap after years of Left Coast dominance, they shattered conventional wisdom about what a rap group could be. After over twenty years in the game, they still ain't nuthing ta f**k wit.






02). Public Enemy

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In a tweet, Chuck D indicated that people were hoping for a Public Enemy movie "that will never happen." However, MCA once described PE perfectly: "They made Hip-Hop that was more than entertainment. They inspired a lot of people who believed that you can effect change through music." And for that reason, their story still wants to be seen by many.