Hustle & Flow was released on July 22, 2005, by Paramount Pictures, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances—particularly those of Howard and Henson—as well as Brewer's direction and the film's soundtrack. The film emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, grossing $23.5 million against a production budget of $2.8 million.
DJay, a pimp and drug dealer in Memphis, Tennessee, is dissatisfied with his life and finds himself grappling with a midlife crisis. After reconnecting with his old friend Key, a sound technician, DJay is inspired to pursue a career in hip hop music.
With the help of Key and Shelby, a sound mixer, DJay begins creating songs that reflect his frustrations with life in the ghetto. Despite his lack of formal experience, DJay proves to be a talented lyricist and rapper. The group manages to create songs with the potential for local radio play, including "Whoop That Trick" and "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp".
However, the road to success is fraught with setbacks. DJay hustles to secure the necessary equipment and recording time, even going so far as to offer Nola, his top prostitute, to a microphone salesman in exchange for gear. Nola is outraged by the exchange, leading to a heated argument, during which DJay promises her a bigger role in the future. Meanwhile, Key's marriage suffers under the strain of the project, and DJay expels Lexus, one of his other prostitutes, and her infant son after she mocks his ambitions. Shug, another of DJay's girls, who is pregnant, becomes involved in the recording process by singing hooks for the songs, and a romantic connection develops between her and DJay.
As the group finishes recording, DJay learns that Skinny Black, a successful Memphis rapper, will be attending a Fourth of July party. DJay attends the event under the pretext of providing marijuana with the intention of giving Skinny his demo tape. Initially dismissive, Skinny Black eventually agrees to take the tape after DJay persuades him during the party. However, before DJay leaves, he discovers that a drunken Skinny Black has destroyed the demo. Enraged, DJay confronts Skinny, who insults him. In a violent outburst, DJay beats Skinny Black nearly to death and attempts to revive him. When one of Black's associates walks in and pulls a gun, DJay seizes Black's gun and shoots the man in the arm before fleeing.
Upon returning home, DJay finds the police waiting for him. He is arrested, but before being taken away, he entrusts Nola with his lyrics and puts her in charge of sending the songs to radio stations. As DJay is led away, he shares a tearful look with Shug. DJay is sentenced to 11 months in prison for assault and firearm possession.
While in prison, DJay is visited by Key, who informs him that Nola has successfully gotten radio DJs to play his songs, which have since become local hits. Humbled by his success, DJay and Key begin discussing future business plans. In a final moment of validation, two correctional officers ask DJay to listen to their demo, and DJay, recognizing their ambition, agrees.
Terrence Howard initially turned down the role of DJay. He was reportedly hesitant to take on the part, as he wanted to avoid being typecast in a stereotypical "pimp" archetype. However, after reflecting on the complexity and emotional depth of the character, Howard reconsidered and ultimately accepted the role.
The film faced years of rejection and setbacks from major studios and financiers before finally securing backing. Longtime supporter John Singleton played a pivotal role in its production. In the DVD extras, Singleton expressed his frustration with the industry's reluctance to recognize the film's potential, stating that he ultimately decided to fund the project himself because he believed it deserved the chance to be made.
Due to the unique cultural significance of "hustle" and "flow" in African American culture, translating the film's title for international audiences proved difficult. In Russia, for instance, the title was translated to "The Bustle and the Motion", while in Italy, it was appended with "Il colore della musica" ("The Color of Music"). In China, the film was released under the title "Street Hip Hop", reflecting an attempt to capture its essence for non-English-speaking viewers.
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 162 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Hustle & Flow is gritty and redemptive, with a profound sense of place and exciting music."[2] On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[3]
In a review for The Boston Globe, the film was noted for evoking different reactions: "Some will find it chicly inspired, recalling blaxploitation's heyday with its grimy urban realism. Some will find it corny, absurd, and a limited view of options for disenfranchised African-Americans."[4]Entertainment Weekly praised the film's musical sequences, stating, "The home-studio recording sequences in Hustle & Flow are funky, rowdy, and indelible. Craig Brewer gives us the pleasure of watching characters create music from the ground up."[5]
Legacy
The phrase "Whoop That Trick", which was prominently featured in Hustle & Flow, became a rallying cry for fans of the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team during the early 2020s.[6][7][8][9][10] The chant gained widespread popularity and was used by fans to energize the team during games, further solidifying the cultural impact of the film and its music within the city of Memphis.[11][12][13]
Three 6 Mafia is an American hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip hop group, they went on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album Mystic Stylez became an influential cult classic. They have released music on independent labels such as Prophet Entertainment and their own Hypnotize Minds label, as well as Relativity, Loud, and Columbia Records.
Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian, and television host. He is known for his leading roles in television shows such as Andre "Dre" Johnson on the comedy series Black-ish (2014–2022), Marlin Boulet on the drama series K-Ville (2007), and NYPD Detective Kevin Bernard on the NBC crime drama Law & Order. He has also had major roles in feature films such as Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Kangaroo Jack (2003), Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004), Hustle & Flow (2005), The Departed (2006), Transformers (2007), and Scream 4 (2011).
Cinderella Man is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti. It tells the true story of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock, who was dubbed "The Cinderella Man" by journalist Damon Runyon. The film marked the second collaboration for Howard and Crowe, succeeding A Beautiful Mind (2001).
Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 martial arts action comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the leading role, alongside Huang Shengyi, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan and Leung Siu-lung in prominent roles. The story revolves around a murderous neighbourhood gang, a poor village with unlikely heroes and an aspiring gangster's fierce journey to find his true self. The martial arts choreography is supervised by Yuen Woo-ping.
Craig Houston Brewer is an American filmmaker. His 2005 movie Hustle & Flow won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp". He is also known for directing the 2011 remake of Footloose, the 2019 film Dolemite Is My Name and the 2021 film Coming 2 America; the latter two starring Academy Award–nominee Eddie Murphy.
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress. She has received several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award and six Emmy Awards. In 2016 and 2024, Time named Henson one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The 4th Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2005, were given on December 12, 2005.
The 78th Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled one week later than usual to avoid a clash with the 2006 Winter Olympics. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards in 24 categories honoring films released in 2005. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz. Actor Jon Stewart hosted the show for the first time. Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California held on February 18, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Rachel McAdams.
"It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" is a song written by American hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, alongside Cedric Coleman, as the theme song to the American drama film Hustle & Flow (2005). It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and in 2006 was ranked number 80 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop".
Alphonzo Jerome Bailey, better known by his stage name Al Kapone, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. Al Kapone is known principally for his underground success in the Memphis hip hop scene in the 1990s, and his later role in a number of more contemporary songs.
Hustle & Flow: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture is the compilation soundtrack album to Craig Brewer's 2005 film Hustle & Flow. It was released on July 12, 2005, via Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records.
↑ "Winners & Nominees 2006". Golden Globes. Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
↑ Douglas, Edward (December 11, 2005). "2005 NYFCO Film Awards". New York Film Critics Online. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
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