New Jack City Is A Classic Hip-Hop Movie
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the release of New Jack City. Alongside Do The Right Thing, Scarface, and The Godfather, New Jack remains one of the most influential hip-hop films ever. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, starring Wesley Snipes (as drug kingpin Nino Brown), Ice-T (as officer Scotty Appleton), and Chris Rock (as a crackhead named Pookie), the film has gotten much love from the hip-hop community over the years.
Whether it was admiration for Nino Brown's don status, sorrow for Pookie's addictive tendencies, or just being in awe of The Carter, rappers have basically referenced every single famous scene from the film. We went through a trove of rap lyrics to decipher which ones best represented our favorite scenes and put together New Jack City As Told Through Rap Lyrics. Am I my brother’s keeper? YES I AM!
New Jack City Is A Classic Hip-Hop Movie
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the release of New Jack City. Alongside Do The Right Thing, Scarface, and The Godfather, New Jack remains one of the most influential hip-hop films ever. Directed by Mario Van Peebles, starring Wesley Snipes (as drug kingpin Nino Brown), Ice-T (as officer Scotty Appleton), and Chris Rock (as a crackhead named Pookie), the film has gotten much love from the hip-hop community over the years.
Whether it was admiration for Nino Brown's don status, sorrow for Pookie's addictive tendencies, or just being in awe of The Carter, rappers have basically referenced every single famous scene from the film. We went through a trove of rap lyrics to decipher which ones best represented our favorite scenes and put together New Jack City As Told Through Rap Lyrics. Am I my brother’s keeper? YES I AM!
Ice-T “New Jack Hustler” (1991)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:Rolling Stone coverLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitNew Jack City
Mobb Deep f/ Nas “Give It Up Fast” (2000)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:
Snoop Dogg f/ 50 Cent “Oh No” (2005)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:definitely
The Notorious B.I.G. “Suicidal Thoughts” (1994)
What happened?
Lyrics:New Jack
Complex says:
Big L “Streetstruck” (1995)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:
Kanye West “Big Brother” (2007)
What happened?
Lyrics:New Jack City
Complex says:Watch The Throne
The Notorious B.I.G. “Everyday Struggle” (1994)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:
Fat Joe “Rock Ya Body” (2005)
What happened?
Lyrics:New Jack
Complex says:
50 Cent “Doo Wop Freestyle” (2002)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:
Sean Price "Angel Dust" (2010)
What happened?
Lyrics:Totes.Laughs.
Complex says:
Nas “N.I.G.G.E.R (The Slave and The Master)” (2008)
What happened?
Lyrics:New Jack City
Complex says:
Lil Wayne “I’m Single” (2010)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:New York Times
Beanie Sigel f/ Jay-Z “It’s On” (2005)
What happened?
Lyrics:
Complex says:
Nino Brown: “It’s Big Business.”
What happened? After finally getting arrested, Nino Brown takes the stand at his own trial and delivers a memorable rant.
Complex says: Yeah, we’re sure some rappers have worked the gist of Nino’s epic speech into their rhymes (Immortal Technique actually sampled the entire scene on “Peruvian Cocaine”), but really, no rapper could match the intensity of Wesley Snipes in this scene. Nino kicking the ballistics and pointing the finger right back at society remains one of our all-time favorite movie scenes so we just had to include it. Too bad Nino gets shot by an old man mere minutes later.