An ex-con and break-dancer helps save a neighborhood from a greedy developer while trying to win a rap contest.An ex-con and break-dancer helps save a neighborhood from a greedy developer while trying to win a rap contest.An ex-con and break-dancer helps save a neighborhood from a greedy developer while trying to win a rap contest.
Charles Grant
- Duane
- (as Charles Flohe)
Eyde Byrde
- Grandma
- (as Edye Byrde)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe rapping sequences of Mario Van Peebles were re-voiced by Ice-T. They were also overdubbed by Master Gee of the Sugarhill Gang.
- Quotes
John Hood: You know something, man? You're still the slime of crime, you know that?
Shortie Johnson: I'll take that as a complement.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Force M.D.'s: Itchin' for a Scratch (1985)
- SoundtracksRappin'
Performed by Lovebug Starski
Written by Larry K. Smith (as Larry Smith) and Randy Murry
Produced by Larry Smith and Steve Loeb
Featured review
I see those cakes and I start to go wild! (His main squeeze is Julia Child!)
Mario Van Peebles is very engaging in this rather harmless attempt by the Cannon Group to capture mid-80s rap culture on screen. He plays John "Rappin'" Hood, a street tough who's changed his ways after time in jail, and returns to his 'hood to romance the lovely Dixie (Tasia Valenza), set his younger brother Allan (Leo O'Brien) on the right track, and fight back against Duane (Charles Grant), a vicious former crony, and Thorndike (Harry Goz), a sleazy land developer.
Done in a musical style, with numbers delivered at fairly frequent intervals, "Rappin'" is not to be taken seriously. People could definitely argue that it's in dire need of bite, edginess, and grit, but for a PG rated look at inner-city people who find a way to express themselves, it's hard to truly dislike. One could also argue that a lot of the rhyming is inane and goofy, but this viewer liked that the picture had a sense of humour (like the scene with the hooker, or that utterly dopey number "Snack Attack"). Ice-T (who has a number of his own, as an auditioning rapper) dubbed in Van Peebles' rhyming.
The picture does take problems of inner-city living lightly, but then director Joel Silberg and company likely wanted to avoid ever making this too unpleasant, in order to reach as broad an audience as possible. In fact, the whole thing DOES come off as a little cheesy (with opportunities for many of the main cast members to belt out a line or two during the closing credits number).
Grant and Goz are appropriately odious villains; you do hope that Grant brawls with Van Peebles at some point so he can get his ass righteously handed to him. Valenza is a charming love interest, Eyde Byrde is appealing as the grandmother, Rony Clanton is good as a slimy landlord, there are early roles for future stars Kadeem Hardison and Eriq LaSalle as two of Van Peebles' crew, and the enchanting character actress Rutanya Alda also has a role as an area resident. It's always nice to see her in anything.
As this viewer already said, the picture is entertaining enough to watch provided you don't ever take it that seriously.
Six out of 10.
Done in a musical style, with numbers delivered at fairly frequent intervals, "Rappin'" is not to be taken seriously. People could definitely argue that it's in dire need of bite, edginess, and grit, but for a PG rated look at inner-city people who find a way to express themselves, it's hard to truly dislike. One could also argue that a lot of the rhyming is inane and goofy, but this viewer liked that the picture had a sense of humour (like the scene with the hooker, or that utterly dopey number "Snack Attack"). Ice-T (who has a number of his own, as an auditioning rapper) dubbed in Van Peebles' rhyming.
The picture does take problems of inner-city living lightly, but then director Joel Silberg and company likely wanted to avoid ever making this too unpleasant, in order to reach as broad an audience as possible. In fact, the whole thing DOES come off as a little cheesy (with opportunities for many of the main cast members to belt out a line or two during the closing credits number).
Grant and Goz are appropriately odious villains; you do hope that Grant brawls with Van Peebles at some point so he can get his ass righteously handed to him. Valenza is a charming love interest, Eyde Byrde is appealing as the grandmother, Rony Clanton is good as a slimy landlord, there are early roles for future stars Kadeem Hardison and Eriq LaSalle as two of Van Peebles' crew, and the enchanting character actress Rutanya Alda also has a role as an area resident. It's always nice to see her in anything.
As this viewer already said, the picture is entertaining enough to watch provided you don't ever take it that seriously.
Six out of 10.
helpful•21
- Hey_Sweden
- Dec 24, 2018
- How long is Rappin'?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,864,844
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,802,204
- May 12, 1985
- Gross worldwide
- $2,864,844
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