Should you be thirsty for a layered exploration of early Nineties Harlem and the young Black men making their way through it, consider that thirst quenched by Paramount Summer Classic Film Series Thursday night screening. Not only does this feature mark the first directorial offering from frequent Spike Lee cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, but it also heralds the acting debuts of Omar Epps, Khalil Kain, and Tupac Shakur. They’re joined by Lean on Me’s Jermaine Hopkins as a group of teens committing petty crimes and being harassed by the police, gangs, and a sense that they must gain respect through increasingly violent acts. Still an influential piece into the present day, the film was the inspiration behind late rapper Juice Wrld’s moniker. – James Scott
