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Rappin'
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<h2 id="plot">Plot</h2> <p>Rappin' John Hood (Van Peebles), an ex-convict, attempts to save his neighborhood from developers and hoodlums. Around the same time, one of the hoodlums' girlfriend, Dixie, persuades him to audition for a rap recording contract. Their interactions develop into a relationship. </p> <h2 id="cast">Cast</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Mario_Van_Peebles/3xAcP6FM">Mario Van Peebles</a> as John Hood</li> <li><a href="/facts/Rutanya_Alda/BfWFgweK">Rutanya Alda</a> as Cecilia</li> <li>Eyde Byrde as Grandma</li> <li>Rony Clanton as Cedric</li> <li><a href="/facts/Charles_Grant_(actor)/pJvxpv7D">Charles Grant</a> as Duane</li> <li>Melvin Plowden as "Fats"</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jessie_Daniels_(R%26B_singer)/c535jwvA">Jessie Daniels</a>, <a href="/facts/Antoine_%22T.C.D.%22_Lundy/UTo1Rmyl">Antoine Lundy</a>, Stevie D. Lundy, Charles Nelson, Trisco Pearson as <a href="/facts/The_Force_M.D.s/c535jwvA">The Force M.D.s</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Richie_Abanes/bSyx4rh2">Richie Abanes</a> as Richie</li> <li><a href="/facts/Harry_Goz/ELcdHgHV">Harry Goz</a> as Thorndike</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kadeem_Hardison/Gc2wIud3">Kadeem Hardison</a> as "Moon"</li> <li><a href="/facts/Eriq_La_Salle/9whcFM1Q">Eriq La Salle</a> as "Ice"</li> <li><a href="/facts/Leo_O%27Brien_(actor)/xc13U6Y6">Leo O'Brien</a> as Allan</li> <li>Thomas Ross as Thomas</li> <li>Joe Schad as Burton</li> <li><a href="/facts/Tasia_Valenza/KkXXmAj3">Tasia Valenza</a> as Dixie</li> <li><a href="/facts/Claudja_Barry/PgTbGKSP">Claudja Barry</a> as herself</li> <li><a href="/facts/Eugene_Wilde/bdxlrfyN">Eugene Wilde</a> as himself</li> <li>Richy Givens as Gangster</li></ul> <h2 id="production">Production</h2> <p>Mario Van Peebles' raps were overdubbed by <a href="/facts/Master_Gee_(musician)/w5XzXstB">Master Gee</a> of the <a href="/facts/Sugarhill_Gang/6lPdwUIl">Sugarhill Gang</a>, who also wrote one part,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> and whose brother <a href="/facts/Leo_O%27Brien_(actor)/xc13U6Y6">Leo</a> plays the role of Allan. The film was filmed in and around <a href="/facts/Pittsburgh/42yPHyS0">Pittsburgh</a>. </p><p>Ice-T's small role is uncredited and he reportedly provided the rhymes, including the hero's climactic lines, "Can't stop / Won't stop / Climbing that mountain 'till we reach the top!" Two verses of his 1985 single, <i>Killers</i>, feature mid-way through the film. Brothers <a href="/facts/Evil_E/5prNavQ4">Evil E</a> and Hen-Gee, both of whom would go on to work with Ice-T, feature in the film. </p> <h2 id="featured-songs">Featured songs</h2> <ul><li>Born to Love - <a href="/facts/Claudja_Barry/PgTbGKSP">Claudja Barry</a></li> <li>Rappin' – Lovebug Starski</li> <li>Snack Attack – Melvin Plowden, Mario Van Peebles, Eriq La Salle, Kadeem Hardison, Richie Abanes</li> <li>The Fight Rap – Lovebug Starski</li> <li>Neighborhood Walk – Mario Van Peebles</li> <li>Itchin' for a Scratch – The Force M.D.'s</li> <li>Flame in the Fire – Warren Mills</li> <li>Call Me – D. Terrell</li> <li>If You Want To (FU12) – Lajuan Carter</li> <li>Golly Gee – Tuff, Inc.</li> <li>First Love Never Dies – Eugene Wilde, Joanna Gardner</li></ul> <h2 id="reception">Reception</h2> <p>The film earned $2.9 million at the US box office.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_hood_films/BLWPPeKB">List of hood films</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089883/"><i>Rappin'</i></a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li> <li><a href="https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C04EFDE153BF932A25756C0A963948260">New York Times review</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avclub.com/content/node/24016">The AV Club review</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rappin"><i>Rappin'</i></a> at <a href="/facts/Rotten_Tomatoes/rLs7ktSY">Rotten Tomatoes</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Piskor, Ed (2016). Hip Hop Family Tree Vol.4. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books. p. 62. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>JayQuan (2005). "Accept No Substitutes – The Original Master Gee". www.thafoundation.com. Retrieved 6 February 2014. <a href="http://www.thafoundation.com/mastergee.htm" target="_blank">http://www.thafoundation.com/mastergee.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Andrew Yule, Hollywood a Go-Go: The True Story of the Cannon Film Empire, Sphere Books, 1987 p111 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>