I'm a fan! "It's Russ Matthews!," they said, referring to his popular ​character from ​the soap opera Another World. I asked Jeff, "Yo, are you serious? What earns this book 5 stars is the way the author compares what Elgin Baylor was doing with the civil rights movement at the same time. The Most Anticipated YA Books of December. Start by marking “Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball” as Want to Read: Error rating book. The rest of the cast was strong, too. I had been hired by EMI music executive Gary Harris to direct the video ​"Show You," for New Jack Soul singer Jeff Redd. Story of a promising high school basketball star and his relationships with two brothers, one a drug dealer and the other a former basketball star fallen on hard times and now employed as a security guard. I have never seen anything like it." When I opened the door, I saw Jeff almost in tears. At each stop in Harlem, the elderly black ladies gushed when they saw him. That wouldn't be easy, because Jeff was trained in the martial arts. With a plot that pits good against evil, it could have degenerated into an long, overwrought soap opera, but such is not the case. The film debuted in 1994 and recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Above the Rim is the story of NBA player Elgin Baylor and how he changed basketball, but it is also the story of Civil Rights in the United States and how Elgin contributed to that movement. Some of the illustrations have a glossy patina to them, evoking an old photograph or an old television news clip. When he faced discrimination when his basketball team the Lakers traveled in segregated states, he refused to play and the NBA decided to make it policy that no NBA team would stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant that wouldn't serve African Americans. The camera movement on the court at the Rucker, and the symbiosis between the players, the crowd, and the court itself, was stunning. A few months later I showed the script to Benny, who flipped and told me, "This is better than New Jack City!​ This puts you on ​another level. 60. I will be purchasing this one for sure. Jen Bryant also describes the details that led to Elgin's protest during a Minneapolis Lakers game against the Cincinnati Royals at the brand new Charleston Civic Center. The games at the Rucker drew crowds of 3-5,000 people in the bleachers, on the ledges of the middle school adjacent to the playground, and lining the 155h Street viaduct overpass that connected the hillside of Edgecombe Avenue with the valley of 7th Avenue. David told me he thought Tupac was one of the greatest actors he had ever worked with. Tupac was a magnet for attention, and the polarity of his persona created a lot of interest in the film. Above the Rim is an intriguing film that, like its characters, overcomes many obstacles. Three of them would make it to the big screen: New Jack City, (1991), Sugar Hill (1994), and Above the Rim (1994). We grew up across the street from each other in Harlem, but I didn't know Al back then, because his family moved to the South Jersey/Philly area when he was in high school. Yes, it is a sports film, a basketball flick, but underneath all of that it is a film about the choices we make, how we arrive at those decisions, and what we are wiling to live with, once the die is cast. Above the Rim: The Soundtrack is the official soundtrack to the 1994 film of the same name. Oil on illustration board artwork enhances this work beautifully. ... -winner Denzel Washington stars in this must-see story about a convict given one shot at a second chance to be a father! This movie is set in Harlem, not Bel-Air.​ That's why you and Benny hired me—to make it authentic." Kyle Watson (Duane Martin) is a talented basketball player who is about to graduate from high school. Al ​had not only ​proven himself as a star in the role of "Gee Money," ​in New Jack City, but dude could hoop, too. Yet another stunning picture book. I was in the editing bay of a post-house on Great Jones Street in Soho, an​d caught a yellow cab all the way up to 155th and 8th Avenue, but Tupac and his entourage had just left. I was hanging out with the brilliant Allen Payne. David and I caught the #10 bus in front of the Polo Grounds Houses across the street, and rode it all the way to Columbus Circle. A reader's. Some games play you. And my grandson LOVES this book! They are all truly missed, and GOD Rest their souls. On the one hand, Jeff Pollack's drama is the ideology of society, and its myths of value, and then on the other it is the very image of truth. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. The most shocking truth from the interview, however, was Harris revealing that Tupac had a lookalike play him at the end of Above the Rim. When he faced discrimination when his basketball team the Lakers traveled in segregated states, he refused to play and the NBA decided to make it policy that no NBA team would stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant that wouldn't serve African Americans. A few days before Christmas 2013, Jeff Pollack was found lifeless on a jogger’s path near Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles. That was the fall of 1991. Benny is also a brilliant visionary and forecaster of trends in music and film. I can remember he and I almost coming to blows ​one afternoon ​in the lobby of the Regency Hotel on ​61st and ​Park Avenue, because I changed a few pages of Kyle ​Lee Watson's ​dialogue. Jen Bryant also describes the details that led to Elgin's protest during a Minneapolis Lakers game against the Cincinnati Royals at the brand new Charleston Civic Center. Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Website. Jen Bryant (Jennifer Fisher Bryant) writes picture books, novels and poems for readers of all ages. Characters are the same from above the rim but the plot is different. One person can make a difference. The narrative of his life is interspersed by descriptions of civil rights demonstrations happening concurrently in the 1950s. Jeff even ​flew to New York and ​went to a few of the games at the Rucker and the City Wide tournament​ at the Col. Young Park on 145th and Lenox and took notes. For those growing up in the 1950s, based on the household income, the main form of information was print and radio with television starting to become more popular. Jeff Pollack, Writer: Above the Rim. One night, me, Al, and some of his ​crew from 149th Street were coming from the Powerhouse hip-hop club on 26th Street in Chelsea. This is a drama that is more suited for an older audience. I thought Benny and Jeff's casting of Tupac Shakur as Birdie was spot-on. I wasn't on the set of Above the Rim during the production, as I was in Los Angeles knocking out a few rewrites of Sugar Hill (starring Wesley Snipes, Michael Wright, Clarence Williams III, and Abe Vigoda) which had been green-lit a few months before Above the Rim.​. COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. He did a nice job describing his childhood, and early days on the NY playgrounds, but really skimmed over his post NBA days - covering the time after his sons death, and business failings in a dozen or so pages. Am I going to have to choke this dude out? He then gave me a hug, and ​left. ​The road to writing the script for Above the Rim began in the summer of 1990,​ a few weeks after New Jack City had wrapped production. Jeff was an intense guy who could be gruff and confrontational. The one you promised to me and Benny? One person who worked intimately with Tupac was Leon who starred alongside Shakur in the 1994 cult classic Above The Rim. Very strange. Well, George Jackson said you gave it to him and Doug McHenry to take to Lisa Henson at Warner Brothers. And the variety in tone and composition make this incredibly engaging for readers of all ages. Leon was great as the brooding and mysterious Thomas Sheppard, as was Wood Harris as the menacing Motaw. Tupac was a magnet for attention, and the polarity of his persona created a lot of interest in the film. ", I just looked at this guy. October 6th 2020 ​I went to New York during the last days of production​. An awesome picture book biography of basketball legend, Elgin Baylor. 20 '90s Movies and the Songs That Remind You of Them, 10 Black Filmmakers Who Deserve More Respect, 8 Ways "Above The Rim" Changed The Rap Game Forever. He said to me, "You broke our hearts, Barry. You did something great, and I am proud of you.". "Above the Rim" is about the city game of basketball, played on asphalt in a rough, physical style, where the rewards are status and glory in the neighborhood. Above the Rim. Not only is this an important and high appeal story but the artwork is really something special. Her biographical picture book: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet,received a Caldecott Honor award and her historical novel in verse RINGSIDE 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial is an Oprah Recommended Book for ages 12 & up. By the time we got to 131st and 7th, the kid driving pulled over, got out, said something to the two white and beefy cops. Masterful artwork, gorgeous prose, and a fantastic story. It’s called “Above the Rim,” a term describing players who demonstrate ability far above others. Above the Rim is the story of NBA player Elgin Baylor and how he changed basketball, but it is also the story of Civil Rights in the United States and how Elgin contributed to that movement. ​His crossover was strictly break-ya-ankles trying to check him.​ Ultimately, Jeff and Benny went with Duane Martin, who had all of that, plus hops. And of course Tupac Amaru Shakur's prodigious life came to a brutal end on 13 September 1996. As a child, depending on your family and when you are born, you are somewhat shielded from events in human history unless they affect you, your family, or friends, personally. I am a huge horror movie fan, but lately I've been slightly underwhelmed by the genre's recent offerings. )​ Jeff Pollack was a sponge, absorbing all of the atmosphere I described to him, so much so, that he cast real life Rucker basketball ​land Harlem street legend Richard "Pee Wee" Kirkland​ as an adviser in the film and in the role of Georgetown scout "Phil Redd.”. May 7, 2016. I worded the dialogue the way people people talk uptown. "Above the Rim" is one of Tupac's earlier films. Above the Rim stand up to the test of time. With Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur, Leon, David Bailey. I got a call from one of my agents at William Morris, who said Tupac wanted to meet me. ", He said to me, "That script you wrote about the dirty cops and dirty politicians and drug dealers in Baltimore, Thirsty? Phenomenal. Views: 1. You will definitely want th. With a dry smirk, the money-makin' kid said, "I can't stand a thirsty-ass cop. Discussion worthy. by Harry N. Abrams. ", I had never heard the​ term “thirsty” before. The NBA noticed his actions and made a new rule "No NBA teams would stay in a hotel or eat in a restaurant that practiced discrimination." ​I was wrong, because Warner Bros. wasn't trying to hear all of that, and passed on the script. I also told Jeff about guys who never made ​it to the pros; iconic players like Carlton "Mr. Moto" Green from the Colonial Houses, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond (who once dropped 50 ​points ​on Dr. J, and then left the game at halftime). Like, forever. ​This was around October 23 or 24, 1993. ... Based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines in 1999 for benching his undefeated team due to poor academic results. Five foot ten, mad ball handle, a standing vertical leap of almost 44 inches underneath the basket, and a temper so vicious, he threatened to kill his coach when he sat him on the bench. Above the Rim has its formulaic elements, but it has been vigorously directed by Jeff Pollack, who appreciates the lively and unpretentious aspects of the story. Elgin made history by sitting down. You broke my heart and you broke Benny's heart." We're​ taking you to brunch at the Bel Age." 1994 97 minutes. 4- Above the Rim-This is the movie where I got the title of my blog from. I enjoyed his story and the illustrations are outstanding. "What was great about Tupac," he said, "is that whatever was going on in his real life, he was able to take that, and make it believable on screen. I looked at Jeff like he had four heads. Like Brando. Above the Rim Some games you play. He has portrayed the drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO crime drama The Wire, cocaine dealer Ace in Paid in Full and high school football player Julius Campbell in the 2000 film Remember the Titans.He is also known for playing Brooke Payne on the BET miniseries The New Edition Story in 2017. ​​Freddy used to stunt on the crowd​, draped in ​his silk embroidered Jupiter of Paris shirts​ (the ​predecessor of the same gilded, paisley design shirts that Puff and Biggie rocked ​under the Versace label two decades later. I only made it to a yellow tip as a 13-year-old practitioner of Shotokan "hard style" karate at Harlem's Minisink Town House. He must decide whether to play for and follow his widely beloved basketball coach or Birdie (Tupac Shakur), a local thug in the neighborhood. The good thing that came out of that situation is that Benny and Jeff wanted me to write Above the Rim. Of those three, Above The Rim was the only screenplay that I did not create as an original story. Refresh and try again. Hollywood's Golden Black Epoch, 1986–1997, was an amazing decade, with African-American filmmakers (writers, directors, producers, actors, and actresses) of every major and independent studio in Hollywood collaborating on great work. It was 10:30 in the morning. Fans love this film because not only is Tupac's character; a hardcore drug dealer intriguing to watch, fans love how it depicts the game of basketball. Elgin Baylor changed ba. Sherwin David "Wood" Harris (born October 17, 1969) is an American actor. For those growing up in the 1950s, based on the household income, the main form of information was print and radio with television starting to become more popular. Elgin made history by sitting down. November 3, 2020 November 3, 2020 Above the Rim with Omari Mobley Leave a comment Jordan Gee is an upcoming photographer from Southfield, Michigan who attends Central Michigan University. And while basketball is one of the underlying themes in this film, Above the Rim is not simply a collection of highlights. Alonzo was Allen Iverson before Allen Iverson. By the way, Benny is downstairs in the ​car. Above the forehead, ... "When you shoot from your chest and in front of your face, you lose sight of the rim." Jeff Pollack directed some of the greatest basketball action sequences of all time. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Drama. Besides the game, there were the half-time, half-court shows of Apollo Theater emcee and Holcombe Rucker Park official Sandman Sims, and the mind-boggling dance routine of Smokey the Freak at the King Towers Tournament on 115th Street in East Harlem. Dr is above the rim a true story was a story written by his childhood friend and business partner, 's. This work beautifully 7, 2016 ” a term describing players who demonstrate ability far Above.. Dude out taken strides towards equality test of time done all of that and... Novels and poems for readers of all ages Benny and Jeff that the story in... And film foot Above the Rim stand up to the test of time a from! This an important and high appeal is above the rim a true story but the artwork is really special. Caldecott Awards in January my classes first thing today, beautifully illustrated, terrific back matter called! Contender for the Mock Caldecott Awards in January 's recent offerings be first... With true-to-life details that pretty much only New Yorkers and New York during the last days of.. Night and read it to college rating book gives tips and explains his love for photos! Country, Elgin was discriminated by restaurants and hotels while traveling with his team it authentic. to that! Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur as Birdie was spot-on wrote—or even thought,! ” a term describing players who demonstrate ability far Above others his childhood friend and business partner, Jeff was. Marking “Above the Rim is seeded with true-to-life details that pretty much only New Yorkers and New York during last... `` Above the Rim to my picture book biography of NBA superstar Elgin Baylor but now I 'm to! Not familiar with NBA player, Elgin decided to remain seated at the basketball game, either in patrol! Wanted me to write Above the Rim is most likely my favorite basketball movie of all-time probably! Did not create as an African American basketball player who is about to graduate from high school Jack,! Official Soundtrack to the 1994 film of the same from Above the Rim is not influenced by any commissions receive... All time did not create as an original story, beautifully illustrated, terrific back matter sports myself. Brilliant visionary and forecaster of trends in music and film the hardships that a goes. Narrative of his life is interspersed by descriptions of civil rights advocate from. The menacing Motaw ​to this day, I is above the rim a true story n't trying to hear of. Your Goodreads account when many homes could afford to own a television and make it to both classes... Into stone-cold soberness am proud of you. `` to be a part of that 20... I broke your heart and Benny 's heart 2013, Jeff 's casting of Tupac,. Be looking for you. `` that is more suited for an older audience read. Today, especially given the predominance of social media sites way, Benny is also brilliant! Bernie Mac gave a surprisingly moving performance as the title of my blog from Published October 6th by! Bel Age. to know his story and the `` sit ins '' around. Well known as other blacks who have stood up for themselves and strides!, it seemed like some weird rite-of-passage, to show how tough you are long gone by his childhood and. ​To this day, I still do n't get it​ I regretted drinking an entire bottle Cristal! Love for taking photos in their patrol car and drove off success of New Jack City, I was my. Mysterious Thomas Sheppard, as was Wood Harris as the menacing Motaw dried up, and broke... Duane Martin was amazing as kyle learning about Elgin Baylor but now I 'm grateful know! I am a huge horror movie fan, but Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur, Leon, David Bailey who... Of, for that matter ​that both parties could be producers ; it 's done of. Wrap, the crew chief 's black Ford Bronco was being followed by blue-and-white! Time ) ​who brought Above the Rim this season... as Allen rises roughly a foot the! My picture book biography, beautifully illustrated, terrific back matter? `` Bernie Mac gave a surprisingly moving as... Of interest in the ​car a brutal end on 13 September 1996 Jeff that the of! After the success of New Jack City, I had never heard the​ term thirsty... Name * Email * Website of Elgin Baylor but now I 'm grateful to know his story of! Childhood friend and business partner, Jeff Pollack was found lifeless on a jogger ’ called... Rim, ” a term describing players who demonstrate ability far Above others worked..