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"Juice" was Ernest Dickerson's feature film directorial debut, released in 1992; he also co-wrote the script with Gerard Brown. After being behind Spike Lee's camera, as cinematographer on just about all his film's up until that point, with "Juice" Dickerson had seemingly arrived as a director at the front of what was then (early 1990s) an exciting new wave of black filmmakers who would go on to make hay over the following years. It was also the film that introduced Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur (who was, at the time, an *unknown* as a roadie and dancer for Digital Underground) - both in breakout performances, joined in front of the camera by Jermaine...

Independent distributer Second Sight is re-releasing two cult Afro-American urban films, Juice and South Central this Monday. As both films deal with similar subject and were released in the same year, a joint review seemed appropriate. Both films are about young black Americans struggling to beat the cycle of violence that threatens their lives and their cultures.

Juice

Stars: Omar Epps, Tupac Shakur, Jermaine ‘Huggy’ Hopkins | Written by Ernest R. Dickerson, Gerard Brown | Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson

Juice boasts an impressive cast, including the likes of Omar Epps (best known as House’s Dr Foreman), Samuel L Jackson, Queen Latifah and, best of all, late rap legend Tupac. The film follows a group of four school-skipping friends in Harlem, all of whom are fairly dopey, huggable hip-hoppers, rather than violent gang-bangers. Q (Epps) dreams of becoming a superstar DJ and auditions for a prestigious competition. Bishop (Tupac) however, wishes...

Juice, 1992's 'film noir' with teenagers – and hip-hop, is still finding young fans today

Juice wasn't supposed to taste so fresh. A morality tale featuring a quartet of Harlem teens – aspiring DJ Q, ladies' man Raheem, comic foil Steel and hothead Bishop – Ernest Dickerson's 1992 directorial debut was initially filed by many critics as a rapsploitation retread of the previous year's Boyz n the Hood.

But nearly 20 years after its release, Juice is still making noise. From dance maestro Sidney Samson sampling a Bishop quote to Soulja Boy hyping up an ill-advised remake, Dickerson's movie has quietly become a hip-hop classic. Dickerson had paid his dues as Spike Lee's go-to cinematographer (he shot She's Gotta Have It, Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, among others) and Juice, despite ticking all the early 90s hood-movie boxes, also turned out to be buoyant celebration of hip-hop culture, feeding off seminal 80s B-boy flicks,...

In 1992, we were in the tail end of the golden age of hip-hop. Dr. Dre had just released The Chronic, and G Funk was on the rise, but for fans of the east coast sound, there was still Eric B & Rakim. So as a nod to the good old days, today's Scenes (Songs) We Love is all about Eric B & Rakim's Know the Ledge from the 92 crime flick, Juice. The 90's timepiece was directed by cinematographer Ernest R. Dickerson (The Wire and long-time cinematographer for Spike Lee) and centered on four friends in Harlem: Bishop (Tupac Shakur), Q (Omar Epps), Raheem (Khalil Kain) and Steel (Jermaine "Huggy" Hopkins) as they wrestled with the usual urban tropes about making it out of the 'ghetto'.

Music was a big part of the film, and if you are of a certain age, the songs in this movie will seem like the best...