Rap War One

Dequan, just like any other kid who grows up in the jungle of Brooklyn, has a dream to escape. He does not want to end up like so many others around him who are destined for jail or the cemetery before they make it out of their teens. He tries to follow the right path but after losing his dead-end job and discovering that his live-in girlfriend is pregnant, he decides that he has to cook up a plan to get money - lots of money, and fast. His best friend Brandon introduces him to a secret club in Brooklyn known as The Pit, where unsigned street rappers from all across New York City battle it out on stage rapping for money and the title to be called the best. Run by a local gangster named G-Mega, Dequan enters The Pit where he finds himself winning the rapping wars, making more money but also getting caught in a world of corruption, drugs and death that he can't escape.

Directed by Ricardo Sean Thompson, Rap War One leans on a strong ensemble — Justin Edwards, Joze T. Castillo, Morgan Bagley — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2004.