Story has good actors, some good points, but story is weak and empty as a whole.

Rating: 5/10 (19 March 2006)

I didn't feel the same way towards this movie as many of the other positive reviewers. I thought it was a pretty weak movie. It just dragged on.
Yes the actors are good, definitely, but the story itself was just silly to me. Yes, I like some of the points being made in the story, but the story as a whole was empty to me and useless.
Although there seems to be a decent metaphor about coming up, why choose a pimp trying to become a rapper to embellish coming up? It just doesn't work for me.
The movie was a little dry and straightforward. If a movie will be that way I think there should have been more interesting dialogue and scenes. Most of it was empty, except a couple of scenes.
For example, when the prostitute comes out of the music shop and tells Djay she is sick and tired of not having a say about things was one of the most interesting scenes to me. Have more scenes like that, especially in such a silly movie!
Terence Howard is a great actor though. Ludicrous did good in "Crash," but I think he looked funny in this role.
I think John Singleton can direct better movies than this.