Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.—the shortened form of the former official, sometimes still used, formal corporate name: Warner Brothers
film, written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz-Biography:Schultz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After his undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Marquette University, he attended Princeton University, where in 1966 he directed his first play, a production of Waiting for Godot. He joined the Negro Ensemble Company in...
(who also produced the movie, along with Doug McHenry). This film is based on the early days of Def Jam RecordingsDef Jam Recordings is a United States based hip-hop record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group...
and up-and-coming record producer Russell SimmonsRussell Wendell Simmons , is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, founder of another label, Russell Simmons Music Group, and creator of the clothing fashion line Phat Farm.Russell Simmons is the younger brother of Daniel Simmons, Jr and...
(re-named Russell Walker in the film), portrayed by Blair UnderwoodBlair Underwood is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy...
in his feature film debut. Russell SimmonsRussell Wendell Simmons , is an American entrepreneur, the co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, founder of another label, Russell Simmons Music Group, and creator of the clothing fashion line Phat Farm.Russell Simmons is the younger brother of Daniel Simmons, Jr and...
was the film's co-producer and story consultant; he also has a cameo role in the film as a club owner named Crocket.
Movie
In the movie, Russell Walker has signed all of the hottest acts to his Krush Groove record label, including Run-D.M.C.Run-D.M.C. was a hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is arguably one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in...
, Dr. JekyllAndre Harrell is Martin Lawrence and founder of the now defunct record label, Uptown Records. Harrell also served as president/CEO of Motown Records. He was also the first half of the hip hop duo Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde....
& Mr. Hyde, and Kurtis BlowCurtis Walker , is better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major label...
. Rick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and, as of mid-2009, the co-head of Columbia Records....
produces their records. When Run-D.M.C. has a hit record and Russell doesn't have the money to press records, he borrows money from a street hustlerHustler is a monthly pornographic men's magazine published in the United States. It was founded and is owned by Larry Flynt.-History:Hustler was first published in 1974. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter and The Hustler For Today's Man which was cheap advertising for Flynt's strip...
. At the same time, Russell and his brother Run are both competing for the heart of R&B singer-percussionist Sheila E. Also appearing in the film are LL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J, is an American rapper and actor. LL Cool J stands for "Ladies Love Cool James." He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm...
, the Beastie BoysBeastie Boys is an American hip hop group from New York City. The group comprises Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz...
, New EditionNew Edition is an American R&B male music group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1978, that was most popular during the 1980s. Their success led to the creation of late-1980s and 1990s boy bands like New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men.-Formation:...
, the Fat Boys, and some of their songs, as well as others from the likes of Chaka KhanChaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953, is a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter best known for such hit songs as "I'm Every Woman", "Ain't Nobody", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire". She sang a modernized theme song for the popular children's TV show Reading Rainbow...
, Debbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer–songwriter and actress, most famous for being the lead singer for the New Wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she also performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, and The Gap Band. Members of the R&B band Full ForceFull Force is a group of R&B and hip hop performers and producers from Brooklyn, New York, calling themselves "the original hip hop vocal band"...
also make a cameo in the film as bodyguards.
Krush Groove was filmed in the Bronx, New York (including at least one scene in the Marble HillMarble Hill is the northernmost section of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Marble Hill is part of the borough of Manhattan but is no longer on Manhattan Island....
projects). Among the locations where the movie was shot was the famous Disco Fever, a popular club during the embryonic stages of hip hop that, by the time of the film, had fallen on some hard times. Disco Fever owner Sal AbbatielloSal Abbatiello is a record executive in the music business. His career goes back to the early 1970s and he is still one of the biggest concert promoters and record executives in the New York City area. Abbatiello created and produced the Freestyle, Urban/Dance-Pop trio, The Cover Girls, whose hits...
expected the movie not only to turn the spotlight on the burgeoning hip-hop movement but also to "bring attention [back] to the club" and so agreed to have scenes shot there. Unfortunately, the attention surrounding the filming brought the scrutiny of the local authorities, who shut the club down for good on the last day of shooting for not having all the proper licenses and permits. There was also a scene shot in Shepard Hall of the historic City College of New YorkThe City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
.
The movie was released on DVD in 2003. Among the special extras included on the DVD are commentary from Underwood, Schultz, and The SourceThe Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988. The...
magazine Senior Editor Brett Johnson, a theatrical trailer for the movie, and the Krush Groove All-Stars video "Krush Groovin'."
Cast
- Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American musician, perhaps best known for her work with Prince and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
- Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C. was a hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is arguably one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in...
- The Fat Boys
The Fat Boys, originally known as The Disco 3, were an American hip-hop music trio from Brooklyn, New York City, that emerged in the early 1980s.-Former Members:*Mark Morales a.k.a. "Prince Markie Dee"...
- Kurtis Blow
Curtis Walker , is better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major label...
- New Edition
New Edition is an American R&B male music group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1978, that was most popular during the 1980s. Their success led to the creation of late-1980s and 1990s boy bands like New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men.-Formation:...
- Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys is an American hip hop group from New York City. The group comprises Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz...
- LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J, is an American rapper and actor. LL Cool J stands for "Ladies Love Cool James." He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm...
Soundtrack
Music from the Original Motion Picture Krush Groove (also called just Krush Groove Soundtrack) is a soundtrack albumA soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television programme. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear...
by various hip-hop artists, released on Warner Brothers Records in 1985. The album peaked at #79 on the Pop chartThe Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #14 on the R&B chart. The Krush Groove soundtrack was released on Warner Bros. Records in 1985 and featured songs from the movie. Only 1,000 copies of the album were ever pressed on compact discA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
.
Track listing
- Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953, is a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter best known for such hit songs as "I'm Every Woman", "Ain't Nobody", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire". She sang a modernized theme song for the popular children's TV show Reading Rainbow...
—"(Krush Groove) Can't Stop The Street" (5:10)
- LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J, is an American rapper and actor. LL Cool J stands for "Ladies Love Cool James." He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm...
—"I Can't Live Without My Radio"I Can't Live Without My Radio" is the lead single from LL Cool J's debut album, Radio. It was released in 1985 for Def Jam Recordings and was both written and produced by LL Cool J and Rick Rubin. The song found modest success, making it to #15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and today is...
" (short version) (4:25)
- Kurtis Blow
Curtis Walker , is better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major label...
—"If I Ruled the World" (6:19)
- Fat Boys—"All You Can Eat" (3:27)
- Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer–songwriter and actress, most famous for being the lead singer for the New Wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she also performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
—"Feel the Spin"Feel the Spin" is a song by the American vocalist Debbie Harry, featured on the soundtrack album for the film Krush Groove . The song was co-written by Harry and producers John "Jellybean" Benitez and Toni C...
" (4:01)
- Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American musician, perhaps best known for her work with Prince and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
—"Holly Rock" (4:57)
- Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys is an American hip hop group from New York City. The group comprises Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz...
—"She's on It" (3:32)
- Gap Band
The Gap Band is an American funk band who rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s with their heavily-charged dance anthems and their sentimental and ethereal love songs. Comprising brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in...
—"Love Triangle" (4:47)
- Force MD's—"Tender Love" (3:55)
- Krush Groove All-Stars (Run-D.M.C., Sheila E., Kurtis Blow, Fat Boys)—"Krush Groovin'" (5:05)
Other songs appeared in the film but were not on the album soundtrack:
- Autumn - "Kold Krush"
- Run DMC - "King of Rock," "It's Like That", "Can You Rock it Like This," "You're Blind"
- Fat Boys - "Don't You Dog Me," "Fat Boys," "Pump it Up (Let's Get Funky)"
- Sheila E. - "A Love Bizarre
"A Love Bizarre" is a song written by Prince for Sheila E.. The song is a duet between Sheila E. and Prince and it appears on Sheila E.'s 1985 album Romance 1600. It clocks in at 12:16, but the single version is 3:46 in duration....
"
- UTFO
UTFO was an old school hip-hop group from the 1980s mentored by the contemporary R&B group Full Force. The group consisted of the Kangol Kid , the Educated Rapper , Doctor Ice , and Mix Master Ice...
- "Pick up the Pace" (released as the b-side of "All You Can Eat" on Warner Bros. Records 28829)
- Nayobe - "Please Don't Go"
- New Edition
New Edition is an American R&B male music group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1978, that was most popular during the 1980s. Their success led to the creation of late-1980s and 1990s boy bands like New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men.-Formation:...
- "My Secret"
- Chad - "I Want You to be My Girl"
Other References
This movie is referenced in the movie DogmaDogma is a American adventure-comedy-fantasy film, written and directed by Kevin Smith; he also co-stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, George Carlin, Janeane...
as being better than E.TE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Dee Wallace. It tells the story of Elliott , a lonely boy who befriends a friendly...
. by Loki (Matt DamonMatthew Paige Damon is an American actor, writer and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting, from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
).