One of the greatest rappers of all time is helping to bring back one of the more classic musicals of all time.
Following a 40th anniversary screening of the dance drama Beat Street at the Tribeca Film Festival, Queensbridge’s own Nas announced his involvement in the upcoming Broadway adaptation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Beat Street wasn’t just a film – it spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world. It left an indelible mark, inspiring generations of young artists and creating new hip-hop fans alike,” Nas said. “It’s a thrill for me to join the creative team of Beat Street, bringing the raw energy of hip-hop into the fabric of Broadway. It’s an honor to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”
Highlighting graffiti artists, a DJ, and a breaker in the South Bronx, the original Beat Street featured music by Harry Belafonte and Arthur Baker.
Reportedly, Nas will assist in expanding the soundtrack with new material for the musical adaptation of Beat Street. Additionally, he will also co-produce alongside Baker, Michael Holman, as well as Richard Fearn. Other members of the team will also be announced in the coming weeks.
Originally released in 1984, the main characters, DJ, and the break-dancer in the South Bronx strive to make it in the new hip-hop scene. The film also stars Rae Dawn Chong, Gus Davis as well as Jon Chardiet with some guest appearances from major artists, including Doug E. Fresh, DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambataa & The Sonic Force. The screenplay is by Andrew Davis, David Gilbert and Paul Golding.
In 1984, Beat Street was released, which signaled for the first time that Hip-Hop moved with major corporate backing (Orion Pictures), making it available to the public, according to Rock the Bells. The movie originates from a script written by a journalist, Steven Hager, titled The Perfect Beat. Hagar would go on to sell the rights to the story to Belafonte, who, of course, served as producer of the film.
Beat Street was most responsible for spreading Hip-Hop and its elements to those outside of the city of New York, according to Rock the Bells.
