Memphis Bleek Movies
- 2007
Classic Albums: Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt documents the making of the hip-hop mogul's influential first album. Many of the people involved in the process of recording the tracks sit for interviews that shed light on how the music was created. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
One of the biggest artists in hip-hop, rapper Jay-Z surprised fans in 2003 when he announced he would retire following the release of his hotly anticipated collection The Black Album. In November of 2003, not long after the album hit stores, Jay-Z staged a special show at New York City's Madison Square Garden, in which he performed alongside some of the most popular and influential acts in hip-hop and R&B, including R. Kelly, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, ?uestlove, Pharrell Williams, P. Diddy, and more. Billed as Jay-Z's final solo performance (though he would stage a collaborative tour with R. Kelly in the fall of 2004), Fade to Black is a concert documentary that captures both the action on-stage and the celebration behind the scenes; the film also features an inside look at the making of The Black Album. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jay-Z
Following State Property and Paid in Full, the Roc-A-Fella Film Division releases another straight-to-video hip-hop-orientated movie with the action comedy Paper Soldiers. The story involves a guy named Shawn (comedian Kevin Hart) who wants to be a gangster so he can feed his kid and buy things for his girlfriend. When Shawn's friend Stu (Beanie Sigel) gets arrested and thrown in jail, Shawn keeps trying to be a criminal. Features appearances by Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, and other hip-hop stars. Directed by Roc-A-Fella Records CEO Damon Dash and starring his cousin, actress Stacey Dash. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
One man's efforts to get ahead on the streets lead him into a life of danger in this hard-hitting urban drama from Roc-A-Fella Films, the production company run by top hip-hop artist Jay-Z. Beans (Beanie Sigel) is a member of a Philadelphia street gang who has had enough of his life of poverty. Determined to get ahead by any means available to him, Beans steps to the wrong side of the law and begins selling drugs. Forming a crew with his friends and fellow gangsters called the ABM ("All 'Bout the Money"), Beans and his partners soon become the new rulers of Philly's underground economy. But with success comes competition, and Untouchable J (Jay-Z) and Dame (Damon Dash), the leaders of an establish drug-dealing crew, decide the ABM are taking more than their share of the business, and begin retaliating with violence -- with both the ABM crew and Beans' wife as targets. State Property also stars Memphis Bleek, Omillio Sparks, and Sundy Carter. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Beanie Sigel, Omillio Sparks, (more)
In 1998, rapper Jay-Z's third album, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life made him one of hip-hop's biggest crossover acts, with the single "Hard Knock Life" becoming a major hit on radio and the sales charts. In 1999, Jay-Z, who also runs the hip-hop oriented Rock-A-Fella Records label, launched a major concert tour, in which he joined forces with fellow rappers Method Man, DMX, and Redman for a road trip that packed halls at 54 shows in two months, earning $18 million at the turnstiles. This documentary takes a close look at the music Jay-Z and his friends created onstage, as well as their adventures -- both positive and negative -- as they take one of rap's biggest shows on the road. Hard Knock Life Tour also features new music from The Lox, Memphis Bleek, and T-Boz from the R&B group TLC. Incidentally, if the title sounds a bit familiar to non-rap fans, it may be because it was sampled from a song featured in the musical Annie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
This release captures the young adults, hot bodies, flashy cars, and the copious alcohol consumption that makes the three day Memorial weekend in Miami such a memorable time. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dingbatt, Hurricane Chris, (more)
