Blair Underwood has been a credible actor for a long time. He's done a Bochco, he kissed Jada Pinkett and slept with perhaps one of the most annoying characters in HBO history. Of course, such variety of quality roles can't always be found. When that happens, the bills must still be paid.
I hope the check Blair Underwood got from The Hit had at a one and three zeros at least.
Ryan Combs writes and directs this tale of Hen (played by Underwood), a man who conned a loan shark from a Mafia gang to start his own rap label. Things have gone good and he is making millions. But Hen, like others who have rap labels, has to give a cut to the distribution companies that put the CDs in the stores. When Hen decides, along with other rap labels he brings along, to break from those houses — trouble starts.
The trouble? The main plot takes a break and a dozen or so subplots take over.
DeRay Davis plays Sirus, the gentle giant wisecracker who gets signed to Hen's label. Automatically you get the sense that he doesn't fit. That being said, he is a good supporting actor when your film doesn't necessarily have the strongest lead.
You get some nice eye candy with Nicki Norris who plays the second-in-command of Hen's label. Remember, I said eye candy. Her actual character doesn't really get to do much except get chased after by an uncle of Hen's and bed Hen after he gets wounded.
Is it possible when you get shot that you can have sex right after? I would think any skin-slapping would be a bit much for a person's body after having lead go through your skin. But hey, that might just be what being "gangsta" is all about.
There's 97 minutes to waste on this film. If you lead a boring life and don't have the energy for a head-trip film, this movie is for you. Be warned that after 15 minutes, you may have wished you went outside.
As a small bit of useless trivia, this film is a sequel to Straight Out Of Compton, also written and directed by Ryan Combs.
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