Keeping it Reel

Hip hop films are motion pictures that display the aesthetics and culture of hip hop, primarily use hip hop as the musical soundtrack, use hip hop artists as their main characters, or all of the above. Some have suggested that hip hop movies also include video recorded concerts and documentaries. Hip hop movies cover a wide range of genres and themes.

"Krush Groove" is a 1985 Warner Bros. film, written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz (who also produced the movie, along with Doug McHenry). This film is based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings and up-and-coming record producer Russell Simmons (re-named Russell Walker in the film), portrayed by Blair Underwood in his feature film debut. Russell Simmons was the film's co-producer and story consultant; he also has a cameo role in the film as a club owner named Crocket.

In the movie, Russell Walker has signed all of the hottest acts to his Krush Groove record label, including Run-D.M.C., Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Kurtis Blow. Rick Rubin produces their records. When Run-D.M.C. has a hit record and Russell doesn't have the money to press records, he borrows money from a street hustler. At the same time, Russell and his brother Run are both competing for the heart of R&B singer/percussionist Sheila E. Also appearing in the film are LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, New Edition, the Fat Boys, and some of their songs, as well as others from the likes of Chaka Khan, Debbie Harry, and The Gap Band. Members of the R&B band Full Force also make a cameo in the film as bodyguards.

Krush Groove was filmed in the Bronx, New York (including at least one scene in the Marble Hill projects). Among the locations where the movie was shot was the famous Disco Fever, a popular club during the embryonic stages of hip hop which, by the time of the film, had fallen on some hard times. Disco Fever owner Sal Abbatiello expected the movie not only to turn the spotlight on the burgeoning rap movement but also to "bring attention [back] to the club"and so agreed to have scenes shot there. Unfortunately, the attention surrounding the filming brought the scrutiny of the local authorities, who shut the club down for good on the last day of shooting for not having all the proper licenses and permits.

Breakin' is a 1984 movie directed by Joel Silberg. It was also released under the title Breakdance: The Movie in some international locations. The film is a retelling of West Side Story.
The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin' set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip-hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in Los Angeles. Many of the artists and dancers including Ice-T (who makes his movie debut as a club MC) and Boogaloo Shrimp went straight from Breakin' and Enterin' to star in Breakin'.
The story is a retelling of the 1957 musical West Side Story, which is based in turn on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Kelly's agent Franco has a West Side Story poster directly behind his desk). Breakin' reverses the genders of the white/Puerto Rican couple. Although Kelly and Ozone are clearly a romantic couple in the sequel, and although they peck briefly in the first film (during the song "99 1/2 Won't Do"), the love scene in which they become a couple has been cut, and now exists only as a glimpse during the end credits.

Beat Street is a 1984 mainstream hip hop dramatic feature film, and the second following Breakin'. It is set in New York City during the popularity rise of hip hop culture in the early 1980s. The movie was the East Coast answer to the Los Angeles-set Breakin', displaying break dancing, DJing, and graffiti with a mild social undertone. Some of the plotline was based on the graffiti documentary Style Wars. Most visibly, the villain character Spit in Beat Street was lifted from the way the real-life graffiti artist Cap was portrayed in Style Wars.
Notable performances include a song by Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five, breakdance battles between the New York City Breakers and the Rock Steady Crew, and cameos by beatboxer Doug E. Fresh, Richard Lee Sisco, and the Treacherous Three.