Beat Street (1984)

An aspiring DJ, from the South Bronx, and his best friend, a promoter, try to get into show business by exposing people to hip-hop music and culture.

Director:

Stan Lathan

Writers:

Steven Hager (story) (as Steve Hager), Andrew Davis (screenplay) (as Andy Davis)

Stars:

Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Tracy Carlson
Guy Davis	...	Kenny 'Double K' Kirkland
Jon Chardiet	...	Ramon
Leon W. Grant	...	Chollie
Saundra Santiago	...	Carmen Cararro
Robert Taylor	...	Lee Kirkland
Mary Alice	...	Cora (as Mary Alice Smith)
Shawn Elliott	...	Domingo
Jim Borrelli	...	Monte
Dean Elliott	...	Henri
Franc Reyes	...	Luis
Tonya Pinkins	...	Angela
Lee Chamberlin	...	Alicia
Antonia Rey	...	Flora
Duane Jones	...	Robert

Storyline

An upbeat, lets-put-on-a-show musical about the wonders of hip-hop music and culture that tells the story of Kenny, a young hip-hop artist living in the rough slums of the Bronx with his younger brother Lee and their mother Cora. Kenny dreams of making it big as a disc jockey and playing in the most swank of Manhattan nightclubs, the Roxy. Into their lives comes Tracy, a composer and assistant choreographer from the City College of New York, who inspires him to try to continue his dream while romance begins to grow between them, despite coming from different neighborhoods and worlds. Meanwhile, Lee is part of a break-dancing crew set on dominating the scene of their street. The rest of their friends include Ramon, a graffiti artist determined to spread his painting to every subway car in the city while dealing with his girlfriend Carmen and Chollie, a fellow disc jockey who becomes Kenny's manager after he lands him a gig at a Bronx club. Many hip-hop groups, electro artists, break ...

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Plot Keywords:

hood | hip hop | new york city | d.j. | subway | 

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Taglines:

The music and break-dance explosion of the summer!

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 June 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Perfect Beat

Filming Locations:

South Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,218,040, 10 June 1984

Gross USA:

$16,595,791

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,595,791

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

About 80% of the footage in the original theatrical trailer is not included in the final cut. Examples include Ramo getting his bag ripped off while walking with Kenny and Charlie, several battle outtakes including the classroom up-rocking scene, Ramo on a set of drums, and one dancer flipping off against a wall at the Burning Spear nightclub. Several other pieces of footage were included as well but were in freeze frame in the opening credits of the film. The trailer also includes an alternate version of title song performed by Kool Moe Dee, (who appears in the film in the "Christmas Rappin'" sequence with the rest of the Treacherous Three), which also did not appear in the movie nor on the original soundtrack albums.

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Goofs

When Spit tags over Ramo's burner with the Dyer Ave train, you can see the "Sp" in "Spit" from a previous take.

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Quotes

Kenny 'Double K' Kirkland: Testing 1 -2 - 3. It's working! It's working! Party People if you're ready to rock let me hear you scream!
Party People: Yaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!
Kenny 'Double K' Kirkland: If you really, really came to party, Then let me hear every-body, Say: We Came To Party!
Party People: We Came To Party!
Kenny 'Double K' Kirkland: Everybody put your hands together like this - come on! Clap! Let me hear ya clap. Everybody clap. Now, here's a funky beat... Now, here's a scratch beat... Put it all together and make it complete!

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Alternate Versions

UK theatrical prints were edited by four seconds to obtain a "PG" rating. The 1986 and 2002 video releases were uncut and received a "15" classification, though in 2008 the rating was downgraded to "12," again without cuts.

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Connections

Featured in How Hip Hop Changed the World (2011)

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Soundtracks

I.O.U.
Performed by Freeez
Written by John Rocca & Arthur Baker
Remixed by: Jellybean Benítez
Courtesy of Streetwise Records
© 1983 Streetwise Records Inc.

User Reviews

A Piece Of American History.

This started out to be a movie about the street culture of the Bronx in New York. What it accomplished was to give birth to a new culture and way of life, for American youth. What other movie has done this except Rebel Without A Cause? One of the most important movies of all time. The elements are simple yet fascinating. The story is timeless, young people try to succeed against all odds. Yet the story is always believable and never depressing. The characters are so realistic, a city dweller, would recognize them as neighbors. The story is entertaining, and comes to a satisfying ending. Buy this one for your permanent collection. It is a piece of American history.