New Jack City, 1991
Nino Brown has become iconic in rap music. There are almost 15 songs rapped by lyricists like Nas, Biggie, Lil Wayne, Sean Price, Fat Joe, 50 Cent, Yeezy, and more that have mentioned him or referenced the film, New Jack City, over the years. One of the scariest kingpins in cinema, Mario Van Peebles (as the director) made the actions of this Harlem hustler vividly paint the terrifying landscape of the crack epidemic. The story was based on two sources: A 1987 Village Voice cover story entitled “Kids Killing Kids: New Jack City Eats Its Young” and the American crime boss Nicky Barnes that was not only feared and despised in Uptown but was loved and revered in many ways.
Starring Wesley Snipes, Allen Payne, Ice T, Michael Michelle, Christopher Williams, Flavor Flav, Vanessa E. Williams, and Nick Ashford — people fell in love with the uncanny warmth of the film that showed how gang and drug culture is built yes on greed and exploitation but can woo people into its grips by the concept of family. G-Money and Nino represented how “life” can come in and explosively exploit the family. Let us not forget how Keith Sweat sang all the way through a shootout and did not miss a note — talk about Rock-a-bye baby! Another take on the Scarface franchise for the Hip-Hop world.