At the start when Shep awakes from the nightmare, you hear the intro to Tupac Shakur's "Pain" - "I Couldn't help but notice your pain" - "My pain?" - "It runs deep, share it with me!". This voice-over is from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989).
Above the Rim took place in New York but the soundtrack was handled by the west coast based label Death Row Records.
PAC had a double in the basketball scene due to his New York shooting
Filmed in July 1993.
Marlon Wayans and Bernie Mac also appeared together in Mo' Money (1992).