Nas is working on adapting the beloved 1984 hip-hop movie Beat Street for Broadway. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the rapper is working to expand and create new material inspired by the original film’s soundtrack for the musical that he will co-produce. He will be collaborating on the musical stage adaptation with producer Arthur Baker (Afrika Bambaataa, New Order), who served as a co-producer, composer and musical producer on the original movie.
The news was announced on Friday after a 40th anniversary screening of Beat Street at the Tribeca Festival and marks the Queens rapper’s first dip into the Broadway world. “Beat Street wasn’t just a film – it spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world. It left an indelible mark, inspiring generations of young artists and creating new hip-hop fans alike,” Nas said at Tribeca. “It’s a thrill for me to join the creative team of Beat Street, bringing the raw energy of hip-hop into the fabric of Broadway. It’s an honor to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”
The original Beat Street was a cult classic released in 1984 that followed a DJ, graffiti artist and breakdancer in the South Bronx trying to make it on the then-new hip-hop scene. Serving as a kind of primer for mainstream America on the elements of hip-hop, it starred Rae Dawn Chong, Gus Davis and Jon Chardiet and featured cameos from a number of early hip-hop legends, including DJ Kool Herc, Doug E. Fresh, Afrika Bambaataa, Soulsonic Force, the New York City Breakers, Rock Steady Crew, Crazy Legs, Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five and more.
The film’s original soundtrack also paid homage to the first wave of hip-hop icons, including Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five, Jazzy Jay, the Treacherous Three with Doug E. Fresh, Afrika Bambaataa and more.