Above the Rim
Encyclopedia
Above the Rim is a 1994 drama directed by Jeff Pollack
. The screenplay was written by Pollack and journalist-turned-screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper
(writer of New Jack City
), from a story by Pollack and Benny Medina
.
Starring Duane Martin
, Tupac Shakur
, Leon Robinson
and Marlon Wayans
, the film tells the story of a promising New York City
high school basketball star and his relationships with two people; one a drug dealer and the other a basketball star now employed as a security guard at his former high school. The movie was shot in Harlem
with various scenes in the movie filmed at Manhattan Center
high school in East Harlem.
player must make some tough decisions in this sports melodrama.
Kyle Lee Watson (Duane Martin
) is a talented basketball player who is about to graduate from high school
. While he waits to find out if he will receive a scholarship to Georgetown University
he finds himself in a difficult dilemma over a playground basketball tournament
. He must decide whether to play for and follow his good-hearted basketball coach
or Birdie (Tupac Shakur
), a local thug in the neighborhood. Kyle is also feeling resentment towards a security guard named Shepherd, or Shep (Leon Robinson
), because his mother is falling in love with him.
Coincidentally, Kyle's coach also wants Shep to coach his team when he feels its time for him to retire, since Shep was previously a star basketball player himself. It is later revealed to Kyle that Shep is Birdie's older brother. Due to the death of a friend, Nutso, Shep cannot bear the thought of playing again.
Variety
said "A fine cast and the movie's general energy can't overcome that mix of cliches and technical flaws, which should conspire to prevent any high flying at the box office."
Jeff Pollack
As a film director he directed the films Above the Rim , Booty Call and Lost & Found .Pollack was also a producer and writer on the 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and most recently served as executive consultant on The Tyra Banks Show...
. The screenplay was written by Pollack and journalist-turned-screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper
Barry Michael Cooper
Barry Michael Cooper is an American writer, producer and director best known for his work on the films New Jack City, Above the Rim and Sugar Hill....
(writer of New Jack City
New Jack City
New Jack City is a 1991 crime film starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Mario Van Peebles, Judd Nelson, and Chris Rock. Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a rising drug dealer and crime lord in New York City during the crack epidemic...
), from a story by Pollack and Benny Medina
Benny Medina
Benny Medina is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of legendary Jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive...
.
Starring Duane Martin
Duane Martin
Duane Martin is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Martin was born in Dayton OH, and went to Dunbar High school and failed the 9th grade freshman year.Then met Tisha Campbell at the New York Liberty City Awards for the World records by doing backflips.-Career:Martin had a short...
, Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
, Leon Robinson
Leon Robinson
Leon Preston Robinson IV usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.-Personal life:...
and Marlon Wayans
Marlon Wayans
Marlon L. Wayans is an American actor, model producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988...
, the film tells the story of a promising New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
high school basketball star and his relationships with two people; one a drug dealer and the other a basketball star now employed as a security guard at his former high school. The movie was shot in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
with various scenes in the movie filmed at Manhattan Center
Manhattan Center
The Manhattan Center building, built in 1906 and located at 311 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, houses Manhattan Center Studios , its Grand Ballroom, and the Hammerstein Ballroom, one of New York City's most renowned performance venues...
high school in East Harlem.
Plot
A young athlete aspiring to become a professional basketballNational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player must make some tough decisions in this sports melodrama.
Kyle Lee Watson (Duane Martin
Duane Martin
Duane Martin is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Martin was born in Dayton OH, and went to Dunbar High school and failed the 9th grade freshman year.Then met Tisha Campbell at the New York Liberty City Awards for the World records by doing backflips.-Career:Martin had a short...
) is a talented basketball player who is about to graduate from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. While he waits to find out if he will receive a scholarship to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
he finds himself in a difficult dilemma over a playground basketball tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
. He must decide whether to play for and follow his good-hearted basketball coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
or Birdie (Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
), a local thug in the neighborhood. Kyle is also feeling resentment towards a security guard named Shepherd, or Shep (Leon Robinson
Leon Robinson
Leon Preston Robinson IV usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.-Personal life:...
), because his mother is falling in love with him.
Coincidentally, Kyle's coach also wants Shep to coach his team when he feels its time for him to retire, since Shep was previously a star basketball player himself. It is later revealed to Kyle that Shep is Birdie's older brother. Due to the death of a friend, Nutso, Shep cannot bear the thought of playing again.
Cast
- Duane MartinDuane MartinDuane Martin is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Martin was born in Dayton OH, and went to Dunbar High school and failed the 9th grade freshman year.Then met Tisha Campbell at the New York Liberty City Awards for the World records by doing backflips.-Career:Martin had a short...
as Kyle - Leon RobinsonLeon RobinsonLeon Preston Robinson IV usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.-Personal life:...
as Shep - Tupac ShakurTupac ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
as Birdie - Marlon WayansMarlon WayansMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, model producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988...
as Bugaloo - Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
as Flip Johnson - David BaileyDavid Bailey (actor)David Bailey was an American actor. Born in Newark, New Jersey, he went on to have a lengthy career in theater and television, perhaps his best known role being Dr...
as Rollins - Tonya PinkinsTonya PinkinsTonya Pinkins is an American actress and author known for her portrayal of Livia Frye on the soap opera All My Children and for her roles on Broadway, for which she won a Tony Award.-Biography:...
as Mailika - Wood HarrisWood HarrisSherwin David "Wood" Harris is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO television drama The Wire, and as high-school football player Julius Campbell in the 2000 motion picture Remember the Titans.-Life and career:Harris was born in...
as Motaw - Shawn Michael HowardShawn Michael HowardShawn Michael Howard is an American film, television and theater actor.Howard was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Olivia C. and Frank Howard, Jr. Shawn moved to Manhattan at age 19 to study acting at New York University. He began working off-Broadway while still in school, in Mac Wellman's...
as Bobby - Henry SimmonsHenry SimmonsHenry Oswald Simmons, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Simmons was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Aurelia, a school teacher, and Henry Simmons, Sr., an IRS agent. He is one of three children, including his twin sister, and another sister...
as Starnes - Matthew Guletz as Nutso
- Michael RispoliMichael RispoliMichael Rispoli is an American character actor. He was formerly part of the HBO television series The Sopranos as Jackie Aprile, Sr...
as Richie - Byron Minns as Monrow
- Bill RaffertyBill RaffertyWilliam "Bill" Rafferty is a comedian and impressionist who hosted the game shows Every Second Counts , Card Sharks , and Blockbusters .Rafferty was born in Queens, New York...
as Himself - James Williams as Speedy
- John Thompson as Himself
Soundtrack
- "Anything" - SWVSWVSisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
(Produced by Brian Morgan)- Samples "Get up and Dance" by Freedom
- "Old Time's Sake" - Sweet Sable (Produced by Nikke Nikole)
- Samples "Intimate Friends" by Eddie KendricksEddie KendricksEddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
- Samples "Intimate Friends" by Eddie Kendricks
- "Part time lover" - H-TownH-TownH-Town most commonly refers to the city of Houston, TX.Other references:* Hamilton, Ontario* Houston, Mississippi* Hell* Heidelberg West, Melbourne* Hampstead, Maryland* Hackney, London* Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire* Hondo, Texas...
(Produced by Devante Swing) - "Big Pimpin" - Tha Dogg PoundTha Dogg PoundTha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...
feat. Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Nate DoggNate DoggNathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
and Big Pimpin' Delemond (Produced by Dat Nigga Daz) - "Don't mean to turn you on" - 2nd II None2nd II None2nd II None is a rap group from Compton, California. It consist of cousins KK and Gangsta D .- Early years :...
(Produced by 2nd II None, DJ Quik)- "Samples "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oopps)" by the Gap BandGap BandThe Gap Band was an American funk band, who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. Comprising brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967 in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group shortened its name to The Gap Band...
- "Samples "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oopps)" by the Gap Band
- "Doggy style" - DJ Rogers (Produced by Suamana Brown)
- "RegulateRegulate (song)"Regulate" is a 1994 song performed by Warren G and Nate Dogg. Released in the summer of 1994, the track appears on the soundtrack to the film Above the Rim and later Warren G.'s album Regulate...G Funk Era. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart...
" - Warren G. featuring Nate DoggNate DoggNathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
(Produced by Warren G)- Samples "Sign of the Times" by Bob JamesBob James (musician)Robert McElhiney James is a jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer.-Biography:During the 1970s, Bob James played a major role in establishing the smooth jazz genre. "Angela", the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi, is probably Bob James' most well-known work to date...
and "I Keep Forgettin'" by Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald (singer)Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
- Samples "Sign of the Times" by Bob James
- "Pour Out a Little Liquor" - 2PacTupac ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
& Thug LifeThug LifeThug Life: Volume 1 is the debut album by the group Thug Life, started by rapper Tupac Shakur, and was released on September 26, 1994. The album was originally released by Shakur's label Out Da Gutta Records. Due to heavy criticism on gangsta rap at the time, the original version of the album was...
(Produced by Johnny J)- Samples "Cry Together" by the O'Jays
- "Gonna Give it to ya" - JewellJewell (singer)Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100...
Featuring Aaron Hall (Produced by Paisley) - "Afro PuffsAfro Puffs"Afro Puffs" is the first single released by The Lady of Rage in 1994 from the Death Row labeled Above the Rim: The Soundtrack. The Extended, video and instrumental version on the single samples "Superman Lover" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson...
" - Lady of RageLady of RageRobin Yvette Allen , better known by her stage name The Lady of Rage, is an American rapper and actress best known for collaborations with several Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg on the seminal albums The Chronic and Doggystyle...
featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg (Produced by Dr. Dre)- Samples "Love that will not Die" (Intro) & "Superman Lover" (Intro), both by Johnny "Guitar" Watson
- "Just so Ya No" - CPOCPO-Officers:* Chief Performance Officer of the United States* Chief Petty Officer, a military rank* Chief privacy officer, an executive responsible for managing issues of privacy laws and policies...
Featuring Boss hogg (Produced by Tony Green)- Samples "Tonight's the Night" by RaydioRaydioRaydio was an American funk and R&B vocal group formed in 1977, by Ray Parker Jr., with Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael.-Career:...
- Samples "Tonight's the Night" by Raydio
- "Hoochies need love too" - Paradise (Produced by S "Bright Eyes" Riley, Suamana Brown)
- Samples "Groove with You" by the Isley Brothers
- "I'm still in Love with You" - Al B. Sure!Al B. Sure!Albert Jason Brown III is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He grew up in Leonia, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York. During the late 1980s under the stage name Al B...
(Produced by Al B. Sure!)- Remake of "I'm still in Love with You" by Al GreenAl GreenAlbert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
and Willie Mitchell
- Remake of "I'm still in Love with You" by Al Green
- "Crack'em" - O.F.T.B. (Produced by DJ Quik, O.F.T.B., T.K.O.)
- Samples "Playing Your Game Baby" by Barry WhiteBarry WhiteBarry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
- Samples "Playing Your Game Baby" by Barry White
- "U Bring Da Dog Out" - Rhythm & Knowledge (Produced by Sean "Barney" Thomas)
- "Blowed Away" - B-Rezell (Produced by Devante Swing and TimbalandTimbalandTimothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
) - "It's Not Deep Enough"- JewellJewell (singer)Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100...
(Produced by Mr. Dalvin)- Samples "Wind Parade" by Donald ByrdDonald ByrdDonaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a...
- Samples "Wind Parade" by Donald Byrd
- "Dogg Pound 4 Life" - Tha Dogg PoundTha Dogg PoundTha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...
feat. Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
(Produced by Dat Nigga Daz) - "Pain" - 2pac feat. StretchStretchStretch can refer to:*Stretching is a form of exercise or a pre-exercise discipline, sometimes called Warming up*Stretch ceiling, a type of ceiling made from polymer.*Stretch ratio in the mechanics of materials*Stretched tuning of certain string instruments...
(Produced by StretchStretchStretch can refer to:*Stretching is a form of exercise or a pre-exercise discipline, sometimes called Warming up*Stretch ceiling, a type of ceiling made from polymer.*Stretch ratio in the mechanics of materials*Stretched tuning of certain string instruments...
- only available on the cassette version)- Samples "Living Inside Your Love" by Earl KlughEarl KlughEarl Klugh is an American smooth jazz/crossover jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer.At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums...
- Samples "Living Inside Your Love" by Earl Klugh
- "Loyal to the Game" - 2Pac feat. TreachTreachAnthony Criss , better known by his stage name Treach, is an American rapper and actor. He is best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.-Career:...
and RiddlerRiddlerThe Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
(Produced by Reginald Heard - only available on the cassette version)- Samples "Sparkle" by CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
- Samples "Sparkle" by Cameo
- "Mi Monie Rite" by Lord G (Produced by Tony Green - only available on the cassette version)
Box office
The film was released on March 23, 1994, grossing $3,738,800 on opening weeked. At the end of its theatrical run, it had grossed a total of $16,192,320.Awards
1995 MTV Movie Awards- Best Movie Song — RegulateRegulate (song)"Regulate" is a 1994 song performed by Warren G and Nate Dogg. Released in the summer of 1994, the track appears on the soundtrack to the film Above the Rim and later Warren G.'s album Regulate...G Funk Era. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart...
by Warren G. (nominated)
Critical
Peter Travers stated "It's Shakur who steals the show. The rapper's offscreen legal problems are well known, but there's no denying his power as an actor."Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
said "A fine cast and the movie's general energy can't overcome that mix of cliches and technical flaws, which should conspire to prevent any high flying at the box office."