We’re in the midst of a renaissance that sees more unconventional narratives and left-of-center stories making it to the mainstream lens. Naturally, this opens lanes for more hip-hop-inspired stories to make their way to a wide audience. While the inclusivity has only become a recent zeitgeist in Hollywood, the proof that it ought to be has existed for decades. Films like Boyz n the Hood and Menace II Society educated many about the unforgiving backgrounds and the fatalistic worldviews that inspired some of music’s most memorable lines. They are some of American pop culture’s biggest hallmarks, even the ones that have not yet been recognized by the United States Library of Congress like the former was.
The catalog of silver screen classics from hip-hop culture made over the last 30 years includes introductions to graffiti culture, closer looks at the lifelong adjacence to violence that birthed some of the genre’s most tragic figures, and pimp-to-hitmaker narratives powerful enough to get Three 6 Mafia an Oscar (actually, there’s just one instance of the latter happening).
Despite its troubled production, Straight Outta Compton broke new ground because it ended up being a hit. As a result of the movie’s success, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay, studio executives are welcoming hip-hop stories with open arms. They don’t always work—that Tupac biopic really had Maino shooting at the legend—but sometimes we get stories like that of legendary rapper Roxanne Shante. Now that hip-hop is officially the most popular genre in America, perhaps hip-hop-inspired films will reach the same level of inescapability as superhero flicks.
From Wild Style to Roxanne Roxanne, from Public Enemy theme songs to an old white guy asking, “Is you a real n***a?”, these are the best hip-hop movies. RIP again to Radio Raheem, and to gangster rap legend MC Gusto’s rap career.
36. Higher Learning
35. Do the Right Thing
34. Fresh
33. Bulworth
32. Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
31. Menace II Society
30. Dope
29. Malibu’s Most Wanted
28. Roxanne Roxanne
27. Straight Outta Compton
26. Baller Blockin'
25. I Got the Hook Up
24. State Property
23. Brooklyn Babylon
22. Hustle and Flow
21. How High
20. Who's the Man?
19. Paper Soldiers
18. Notorious
17. Fear of a Black Hat
16. Get Rich or Die Tryin'
15. Above the Rim
14. Belly
13. Brown Sugar
12. New Jack City
11. Breakin'
10. CB4
9. Juice
8. Friday
7. 8 Mile
6. House Party
5. Paid in Full
4. Beat Street
3. Krush Groove
2. Wild Style
Year: 1983
Director: Charlie Ahearn
Cast: Lee Quinones, Sandra Fabara, Patti Astor, Fab 5 Freddy, Cold Crush Brothers, Rock Steady Crew, Busy Bee, Grandmixer DST
Considered the OG hip-hop film, Wild Style is also recognized as the genre’s best film. It depicted hip-hop’s early days, offering the initial look at its four elements: MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing. Aside from serving as a landmark beginner’s guide, its cast is composed of hip-hop forefathers like Grandmaster Flash, the Cold Crush Brothers, Fab 5 Freddy, and Lee Quinones.
The impact that Wild Style has had on the culture makes it the requisite hip-hop movie. Artists ranging from Nas to Black Star have sampled segments of the film, and Fab 5 Freddy explains that Wild Style was the most efficient way to explain all that hip-hop encompasses:
I wanted to show that for a culture to be complete, it should combine music, dance, and a visual art. I thought there were elements around that could be pulled together and made to look like one thing, and that a movie would help.
Hip-hop has evolved tremendously over the last three decades, but Fab 5 Freddy hit his target with Wild Style.