Above The Rim Was Hip Hop Up and Down the Court

By: Zachary Draves

On March 23, 1994, Above the Rim was released in theaters.

The story followed the journey of Kyle-Lee Watson played by Duane Martin who is a high school basketball standout in New York City and is determined to obtain a scholarship to play for Coach John Thompson and the Georgetown Hoyas. 

Ultimately he finds himself caught in the lurch of trying to be everything to everyone. 

He has a tense relationship with Thomas “Shep” Sheppard played by Leon, who used to be a high school hoop star who ends up getting arrested and working as a security guard. Kyle’s mother Mailika Watson, played by Tonya Pinkins, tries to get Kyle to think about other things outside of basketball and develops a relationship with Shep. 

(Courtesy: New Line/newline.wireimage.com)

Kyle is also wanting to please his coach Mike Rollins played by David Bailey, who is on a mission to get Shep back on the court. Then Kyle finds himself at the mercy of a local drug dealer and Sheps brother Birdie played by Tupac Shakur, who is trying to convince Kyle to play in the local neighborhood basketball tournament. 

(Courtesy: New Line Cinema)

The film also features notable performances from Marlon Wayans, Wood Harris, Bernie Mac, and special cameo from John Thompson.

It had everything that a good basketball movie possesses, drama, suspense, hope, despair, and ultimately triumph when Shep gets back on the court during the final of the neighborhood tournament, saves Kyle’s life when he literally jumps in front of a bullet before recovering, and Kyle ends up going to Georgetown. 

But what made it stand out was that the actors featured were actually legitimate ballers. 

Duane Martin played at New York University and signed a non-guaranteed contract with the New York Knicks in 1989 before getting cut. Leon grew up playing on the playgrounds in the Bronx before receiving a scholarship to play at Loyola Marymount. 

In turn, much like Blue Chips which was also released in 1994 featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, it paved the way for the likes of Ray Allen to play Jesus Shuttlesowrth in He Got Game and give a hoops film real credence. 

But the crux of what made Above the Rim that ultimate baller tale was that it was an homage to hip hop culture, on and off the court.

(Courtesy: New Line/newline.wireimage.com)

It started of course with the music. 

Much like Super Fly, Saturday Night Fever, Purple Rain, and The Bodyguard, the film probably wouldn’t have been as impactful if it didn’t have such a dynamic soundtrack helping to tell the story produced by Dr. Dre and released by Interscope and Death Row Records. 

Two of the biggest tracks that made head waves on the charts were the laid back “Regulate” by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg and the debut single “Afro Puffs” by Lady of Rage.

Tupac had two songs that weren’t featured on the CD soundtrack due to timing, but were featured on the cassette version including “Pain” featuring Stretch and “Loyal to the Game” featuring Treach from Naughty by Nature.

For Tupac, this was at a time in his life when he was making his allegiance to the West Coast and Death Row Records headed by Suge Knight known subtly. All this came before he was shot five times at New York’s Quad Studios in November 1994 in which he subsequently accused his one-time friend the Notorious BIG and Bad Boy records of being behind the shooting. 

As for his performance in the film, Tupac captured everyone with his believability to bring characters to life much like he did in his two previous works as “Bishop” in Juice and “Lucky” in Poetic Justice.

“It’s crazy because you can’t talk about Above the Rim without talking about where Tupac was in his life” said Justin Tinsley, featured writer for ESPN’s Andscape. “Everyone agreed that Tupac was the star of the film.”

(Courtesy: New Line/newline.wireimage.com)

The basis for the roles he took on were something that he could seemingly personify with ease. 

When it came to the role of Birdie, Tupac based it off of Haitian Jack, a notorious music executive turned convicted felon who served time in federal prison for the sexual assault case allegedly involving Tupac in 1994. 

Much like the real Haitian Jack, Birdie was flashy and charismatic who led with fear and intimidation. 

Tupac’s acting chops spoke to his vast array of artistic mastery.  

“He was magnetic in every way,” said Tinsley. “I don’t understand how you can call Tupac Shakur overrated. Whether you loved his music or didn’t, he made people feel s—. The best thing he had going for him was his energy which got him into trouble for sure, but that creative energy was so magnetic.”

Then there was the other hip hop element of Georgetown as the school of choice for Kyle. 

At the time, the Hoyas were riding as Black America’s team. They were an all-black team that was led by an outspoken black coach who did anything and everything it took to defend and protect his players against the backdrop of a society that would refer to them as “thugs” for their aggressive playground style. 

The mutual appreciation for what the Hoyas stood for resonated as many hip hop artists took it upon themselves to shoutout the Hoyas in lyrics and don Hoya gear whether it was hats, hoodies, or the iconic Starter jacket.  

Coach Thompson was looked at as a strong black man who could be trusted to stand up to the powers that be and do so without compromise. 

“John Thompson is a part of hip hop culture and the culture as a whole,” said Tinsley. “He had empathy and wasn’t scared to protect people that he loved.”

Thompson would go out of his way to ensure his players were looked after as he did with John Turner, Alonzo Mourning, and Allen Iverson. 

In 1988, Turner and Mourning were associated with Rayful Edmond III, a drug kingpin in Washington D.C., and Thompson took it upon himself to set up a meeting with Edmond where he told him to stay away from his players. 

(Courtesy: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

It was Thompson who offered Iverson a full scholarship in 1994 after Iverson served time for a racially charged brawl that occurred at a bowling alley in Hampton, Virginia in 1993. The case caused a stir for the charges being leveled against Iverson for maiming by mob that was a statute in Virginia used to protect victims from lynching. 

(Courtesy: Porter Binks/AP)

Iverson has credited Thompson for saving his life. 

If Kyle-Lee Watson was a real life player, it is safe to say that Thompson would have shown the same love and protection given his circumstances. 

In all, Above the Rim was much more about basketball, it captured the essence of hip hop at a critical juncture. 

Tinsley, who was around 8 or 9 years old at the time of the release, has been able to summarize its significance through the prism of evolution. 

“I just loved the basketball part,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older, I have come to appreciate the story line. It just reminds me that the movie is the perfect time capsule for what was going on. It is more fascinating in that sense. “

Hoop there it is!