CB4
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| CB4 | |
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| Directed by | Tamra Davis |
| Produced by | Nelson George |
| Written by | Chris Rock Nelson George Robert LoCash |
| Starring | Chris Rock Allen Payne Deezer D Khandi Alexander Phil Hartman Chris Elliott Charlie Murphy |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release dates
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Running time
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89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $17,953,778 |
CB4 is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis, and starring Chris Rock. The film follows a fictional rap group named 'CB4', named after the prison block in which the group was allegedly formed (Cell Block 4). The movie primarily parodies the rap group N.W.A among other gangsta rap aspects, and contains short segments featuring celebrities and musicians such as Halle Berry, Eazy-E, the Butthole Surfers, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Flavor Flav, and Shaquille O'Neal.[1]
Contents
Plot
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Three young friends and aspiring rappers, Albert (Chris Rock), Euripides (Allen Payne), and Otis (Deezer D) want to make their big break. The trio have talent, but no marketable image. In order to get their name heard, they appeal to local crime kingpin and nightclub owner Gusto (Charlie Murphy) along with his sidekick and henchman 40 Dog (Ty Granderson Jones) to ask for a spot on the bill at his club, but during a failed meeting the police rush in and throw Gusto in jail.
Gusto believes that the trio set him up, swearing revenge when he is released from prison. While Gusto is locked up, Albert steals his criminal background and identity to become "MC Gusto", rechristening Euripides and Otis as "Dead Mike" and "Stab Master Arson" respectively. Together they form the hardcore gangsta rap group CB4 (Cell Block 4) and successfully sign with Trustus Jones, a local music mogul. CB4 becomes the hottest band on the charts with controversial hits like "Sweat From My Balls" and "Straight Outta Locash," and their rise to fame is documented by an aspiring director (Chris Elliott) and his cameraman. However, an ambitious politician (Phil Hartman) seeks to shut them down for obscenity charges, tensions between the group arise over one member's gold-digging groupie girlfriend Sissy (Khandi Alexander) and the strain of the charade takes its toll on Albert's family life and relationship with his wholesome girlfriend Daliha (Rachel True). To compound this, the real Gusto escapes from prison and sets out to get revenge by making Albert take part in a record store robbery, exposing his face to the CCTV cameras and then taking the tape as a tool for blackmail. The group breaks up and reunites after Trustus Jones's death at the hands of Gusto. Eventually, the group set up their own sting operation with Sissy to capture Gusto and he is sent to prison for life. Albert gives up the pretense of being a gangsta, emceeing under his real name, and the group embarks on a reunion tour.
Cast
- Chris Rock as Albert/MC Gusto
- Allen Payne as Euripides/Dead Mike
- Deezer D as Otis/Stab Master Arson
- Chris Elliott as A. White
- Phil Hartman as Virgil Robinson
- Charlie Murphy as Gusto
- Khandi Alexander as Sissy
- Art Evans Albert Sr.
- Theresa Randle as Eve
- Willard E. Pugh as Trustus
- Ty Granderson Jones as 40 Dog
- Rachel True as Daliha
- Victor Wilson as Lt. Davenport
- Richard Gant as Baa Baa Ack
- J.D. Daniels as Ben
- Stoney Jackson as Wacky Dee
- Isaac Hayes as Owner
- LaWanda Page as Grandma
- Louisa Abernathy as Mrs. Otis
- Shar Jackson as Tamika
- Daphne Jones as Tashana
- Saba Shawel as Tawana
- Vanessa Lee Chester as Talona
- Chasiti Hampton as Tee Tee
- Ice-T as Himself
- Halle Berry as Herself
- Ice Cube as Himself
- Flavor Flav as Himself
- Shaquille O'Neal as Himself
- Eazy E as Himself
- Tommy Davidson as Weird Warren
- Biohazard as Themselves
Soundtrack
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A soundtrack containing hip hop music was released on March 2, 1993 by MCA Records. It peaked at #41 on the Billboard 200 and #13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Reception
The movie had a mixed reception from critics, as Los Angeles Times wrote that despite CB4 having been "one of the more adventurous of the recent African-American comedies, it still gets bogged down in those movie-movie formulas, those phony recipes for success."[2] The New York Times' Janet Maslin wrote that the film "promises sharper satire than it actually delivers. Pandering a shade too avidly to the real rap audience, the film sometimes tries to use the same sexist, mean-spirited ethos it makes fun of."[3]
Box office
The film ranked #2 at the box office with an opening weeks gross of $6,500,000 across 1,205 theatres.[4] At the end of its domestic run it had grossed a total of $17,953,778.[5]
See also
References
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