Next month in Memphis Tennessee, rapper Ludacris will start filming a new movie called “Hustle & Flow,” which is produced by Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Singleton.Singleton expressed excitement about his new movie, which stars Terrence Howard (“Big Momma’s House”) as a pimp who has a unique problem stemming from the fast life.Singleton revealed to AllHipHop.com. “It’s about a hustler, a pimp that has a mid-life crisis at the age of 28. He knows there’s no future in being a pimp ’cause he aint even that good of a pimp. So he up and decides he wants to be a rap star.”Additional performances come from Anthony Anderson (“Barbershop”).DJ Qualls (“Road Trip”), Taryn Manning, (“8 mile”) and Taraji Henson (“Baby Boy”).”This film is hot. It’s what’s going on the dirty South today,” Singleton continued.Ludacris will play the role of a local artist that recently struck it rich in the rap game. He comes back to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee,
looking down on all of the local acts that seek his assistance in getting into the music business, including Howard’s pimp/rapper character.Howard is spending time among the local rap community in Memphis, hoping to give an air of authenticity to his role. Meanwhile, Ludacris was tapped to play a character to bring a bit more humor to the movie.”Ludacris plays a cat that has some new money,” Singleton said. “He comes back to town and is an a**hole. He’s one of them ni**as that been to Europe and thinks he’s seen the world and he’s just a basic artist, but everyone wants to get put on by him.”The movie is being shot over a four-week period on a budget of $2.8 million dollars and will be directed by Craig Brewer. Brewer directed “The Poor and Hungry,” also shot in Memphis and eventually won the best Digital Feature Award at the 2000 Hollywood Film Festival.”Hollywood doesn’t know what to do with these kinds of movies,” Singleton added. “We had to do it independent. I hope this movie does for the South what ‘Boyz-n-the Hood’ and ‘Baby Boy’ did for Los Angeles. Terrance Howard plays the pimp. Anthony Anderson plays the church going married man trying to help him make a record. It’s funny and dramatic like all my films and
gonna be an instant hood classic.”The accompanying soundtrack will be released on Ludacris’ DTP imprint and will feature performances by Ludacris, 36 Mafia, Al Kapone, Frayser Boy and other local Memphis acts.Singleton said he is aiming to have “Hustle & Flow” in theaters in Spring of 2005.