Flavor Flav Movies
One of the most prominent members of the hardcore rap/hip-hop ensemble Public Enemy (and arguably its most colorful contributor), Flavor Flav (born William Drayton in 1959) joined his bandmates in breaking new ground within the said musical genres. Public Enemy's ability to rewrite the rules of rap as a vehicle for the expression of urban social concerns (and angst), coupled with innovative soundscapes unlike anything heard up through that time, arguably turned it into the most influential rap or hip-hop group to emerge during the mid- to late '80s. Throughout it all, Flav provided the comic edge to offset the sobriety and gravity of band member Chuck D's lyrics. Flav's outrageous appearance did much to impart this -- he typically sported a massive number of rings on each hand, wore a giant clock on a chain around his neck, and had all of his front teeth encased in solid gold, into which were engraved the letters of his stage name.For the majority of his career, Flav remained with Enemy, only issuing a debut solo record in 2006 (an early 1999 effort, It's About Time, went unreleased). He began to branch out into film roles as early as 1990, with a small role in Spike Lee's jazz-flavored musical drama Mo' Better Blues, then followed it up with a similar role in New Jack City and cameos as his inimitable self in CB4: The Movie (1993) and Who's the Man? (1993). In an unforgettable stint, Flav participated alongside Charo, Dave Coulier, and others in season three of VH1's The Surreal Life (2004). During that season, Flav and statuesque Scandinavian model-turned-actress Brigitte Nielsen struck up a now-famous on-camera love affair, which prompted the network to initiate a spin-off reality series for the mordantly unhappy couple, entitled Strange Love; episodes typically featured the lovers screaming at each other incessantly and the program ended after only one season. Flav, however, signed for a follow-up MTV reality series, devoted exclusively to himself and his pursuit of lifelong love. Entitled The Flavor of Love, it debuted in 2006. Meanwhile, the performer heightened his emphasis on non-musical comedy via participation in the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav (2007). In 2008, Flav took on a regular role as Calvester Hill on the My Network TV sitcom Under One Roof. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
Join host Flavor Flav as he presents two tales of terror from director Deon Taylor that are sure to make the blood run cold. The first story, entitled "Karma" follows a group of bank robbers as they make a daring getaway from the scene of their latest heist. Stopping at a remote home in hopes of getting directions back to the city, the violent criminals fall prey to a country cannibal with a hearty appetite. The shocks keep coming in "Storm," a story of a teenage party gone horribly awry. As the sky fills with thunder and lightning, the teens take advantage of the fact that their parents' flight won't be able to touch down until the following day. The impromptu bash turns into a violent bloodbath, however, when one girl dies and everyone becomes a suspect. Now, as the storm gathers power overhead, the body count continues to grow down below. Tony Todd, Sticky Fingaz, and Tyrin Turner star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Flavor Flav
- 2008
MyNetwork's first contribution to the urban-sitcom genre, Under One Roof bore no relationship to the 1995 series of the same name beyond the fact that both shows featured predominantly African American casts. The later Under One Roof was actually a perverse spin on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air format, tailored to the talents of Public Enemy's Flavor Flav. The star was cast as Calvester Hill, a paroled convict who moved in with his wealthy, conservative and very uptight brother, real estate broker Winston Hill (Jesse Reid). The humor arose from that old reliable device known as "culture clash", especially whenever Calvester invited his old prison buddies over to Winston's lavish suburban home, much to the dismay of Winston's snooty, materialistic wife Ashley (Carrie Genzel). Of course, the Hills' teenage children, aspiring gangsta rapper Winston Jr. (Kelly Perine) and flirtatious, provocatively garbed Heather (Marie Michel), adored the footloose and fancy-free Uncle Calvester--as, presumably, did the viewer, inasmuch as Calvester was basically good at heart and (nearly) always looking after the best insterests of his family. Critics generally derided Under One Roof for its ethnic stereotyping, taking special aim at the character of the Hills' housekeeper Su Ho (Emily Kuroda), who spoke in the sort of fractured English not heard since the days of Charlie Chan. Cocreated by Fresh Prince of Bel-Air writer Darryl Quarles, Under One Roof debuted April 16, 2008. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2007
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Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav presents an uncensored version of the special that aired originally on the cable channel. Comics such as Jeff Ross, Carrot Top, and Lisa Lampanelli offer a number of off-color jokes about the Public Enemy hypeman. This release contains material edited for time for time from the original broadcast. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Katt Williams, Flavor Flav, (more)
- 2007
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Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular features the redneck stand-up comic starring in an adaptation of the classic Dickens Christmas story that has been adapted to suit his particular comic persona. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Larry the Cable Guy
- 2007
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In 1987 Public Enemy emerged as one of the most formidable forces in rap music with the release of their landmark sophomore album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back; nearly 20 years later, Chuck D and the crew still have what it takes to get their powerful message across while whipping the crowd into an absolute frenzy. On the heels of Public Enemy's 2007 release How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul, a wide variety of musical artists including Henry Rollins, Jonathan Davis, Tom Morello, Talib Kweli, and the Beastie Boys come together in order to reflect on the power of a group whose influence continues to be felt even as they move forward to blaze new trails. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chuck D, Flavor Flav, (more)
In the grand tradition of Undercover Brother and Starsky and Hutch comes the outrageous, off-the-wall direct-to-video cop comedy Cain and Abel. Terrence Flack and Shane Woodson star as Malcolm Cain and John Abel, two hapless and hopeless undercover LAPD detectives who must flaunt the law to tackle department corruption head-on. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
Hip-hop mogul Damon Dash (Paper Soldiers) directs this semi-autobiographical film based on his life as the proprietor of Roc-a-Fella Records. Ebon Moss-Bachrach stars as David Katz, a reporter who, upon interviewing rap producer Damon (Capone), finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the high-class world of hip-hop. Before he knows it, Katz ignites a war within the label that could bring down the operation for good. A bevy of celebrities from all walks of life make appearances, including Riddick Bowe, Lorraine Bracco, Mariah Carey, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Carson Daly, Jay-Z, Chloe Sevigny, James Toback, and countless others. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Devon Aoki, (more)
A film crew sets out on a journey across the country to discover how money is made in the world of hip-hop. Director Maxie Collier takes us inside the process as he selects his Paperchasers crew and travels across the United States, interviewing people making a living off hip-hop, from street rappers selling tapes out of their trunks, to clothing designers, a hairdresser, DJs, record producers, and recording artists. They're all out to make money, and Collier wants to learn how it is done. In Atlanta, the crew catch rap superstar Ludacris and his crew just months before they sign a record deal and blow up. Collier documents his crew's struggles to land interviews with media bigwigs like Rap-A-Lot's J. Prince and Def Jam founder Russell Simmons. Collier also captures the fluctuations in his personal relationships with producer Yvette Plummer, also the mother of his son, and soundman Marquez Edmond (aka "Marquez the Greatest"), as the pressures of making the film wear on the bare-bones crew. Paperchasers, featuring appearances by Fat Joe, Damon Dash, Flava Flav, and James Brown, had its world premiere at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
In this comedy, bumbling Harlem barbers Dr. Dre and Ed Lover are shipped off to the police academy by their frustrated boss, Nick (Jim Moody). However, when a crooked land developer threatens to forcibly take over their ex-boss' land, it is up to Dr. Dre and Ed to use their new-found police powers to stop him. A number of well-known rap artists make appearances in this film, including Queen Latifah, Humpty Hump, Kriss Kross, B-Real, and Ice-T. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
Comedian Chris Rock stars in this scattershot satire of rap music in the vein of This Is Spinal Tap. This film within a film begins with A. White (Chris Elliot) screening a rough cut of a documentary he has made of the notorious CB4 rap group -- consisting of group leader Albert, also know as MC Gusto (Chris Rock); Otis, also known as Stab Master Arson (Deezer D); and Euripides, also know as Dead Mike (Allen Payne). White charts the course of CB4's success, their superstar status a result of the fact that they are the only gangsta rap group who are, in fact, actual gangsters, coming direct from rap sheets to rap music. They are considered so bad that they even give rapper Ice-T pause: "I thought I was hardcore. But these guys are serious! What am I supposed to do now?" Unfortunately, at the height of their fame, their gangster pose is revealed to be a sham. Albert, Otis, and Euripides turn out to be a bunch of middle-class blacks striking a gangsta facade to look cool. But now they are in trouble. The real Gusto (Charlie Murphy), a neighborhood thug who went to prison on a drug bust, has broken out of jail and is coming for CB4. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Rock, Allen Payne, (more)
- 1991
- PG13
The extraordinary life of Quincy Jones -- one of the 20th century's most influential and talented composers, musicians and music producers -- provides the basis of this offbeat, free-form documentary tribute. With little regard for formal timelines and traditional documentary biography methods, the film is an amazing patchwork of personal insights featuring a constellation of music stars including his long-time friend Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie and rappers Big Daddy Kane and Flavor Flav, as well as politicians, filmmakers and other important people. Some of the most moving scenes involve Jones returning to his childhood home in Chicago and recounting honest and painful memories from his childhood. Jones does not shy from discussing everything -- from his mother's mental illness, to his marital problems, to his serious health conditions. He also looks frankly at his career. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, (more)
The ruthless leader of a New York City drug syndicate battles to maintain his power and avoid imprisonment in this fast-moving action drama. While the film's heroes are Scotty (Ice-T) and Nick (Judd Nelson), a pair of tough, streetwise cops, the main focus is their target, drug lord Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes). A criminal businessman with no room for pity or emotion, the flashy but severe Brown has built an empire and transformed an abandoned Harlem apartment building into a well-defended fortress. He begins to consider himself invincible, but his lust for power and the unpredictable actions of a former client turned police informer threaten to bring about his potential downfall. First-time director Mario Van Peebles keeps the traditional plot moving at an appropriately rapid pace, with stylish action sequences and energetic performances. The film's violence was somewhat controversial on its initial release, especially after shooting incidents marred showings in several theaters. However, the film's moral message is clearly anti-drug and anti-crime, its main intent to provide a high-powered, modern take on the gangster movie. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, (more)
Spike Lee's 1990 directing effort is a jazz film, the story of a fictional trumpeter named Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington). He leads a quintet at the Beneath the Underground club with a flashy saxophonist named Shadow Henderson (Wesley Snipes). Though Shadow takes a few too many solos, everything seems fine in Bleek's life. Trouble soon arises, however, and he is forced to make decisions regarding both his best friend Giant (Spike Lee), and his relationships with two women. Giant, his manager and old pal, is addicted to gambling and often gets roughed up by thugs looking for pay back. Bleek is the only member of the quintet who wants to keep him as manager. The trumpeter's woman problems concern trying to decide between two girlfriends who both love him: a schoolteacher (Joie Lee) and a singer (Cynda Williams). Spike's father Bill Lee scored the film, with contributions from Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Abbey Lincoln and Ruben Blades (who plays Giant's bookie). ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, (more)
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