Do the pimp and rap

Rating: 7/10 (7 September 2013)

Hustle & Flow is a strange hybrid. Part rap, part urban drama and set in the south.
Terrence Howard is a Memphis pimp, Djay who runs a stable of prostitutes and still has trouble making ends meet. No wonder life is hard for a pimp.
After an encounter with an old school friend who also works as a music mixer he decides to write and rap about his life experiences and hopes to have a shot at the big time.
He hopes by persuading a big music star played by Ludicrous to listen to his tape.
Terrence Howard would not be seen as your first choice to play a rapping street hustler as he tends to be known for more urbane characters in films such as Crash.
He holds attention as the hustler and rapper who lives for today. He is no hero or even that sympathetic, he just wants to survive but at least he does have dreams and talent as the words seem to flow out of him.
I guess the film might be problematic if you do not like rap and the subject matters of rap songs. The swearing might be off putting for some.
There is tenderness, when Djay, Shelby and Key get together to make music and it's at this point the film displays its heart. Before that, it was Djay pimping out his women.