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 D.
