Nas and Arthur Baker to adapt classic hip-hop film Beat Street into Broadway musical
"Beat Street wasn’t just a film. It spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world"
Nas is set to produce a stage adaptation of the 1984 hip-hop film, Beat Street.
The legendary New York rapper will expand on and create new material from the soundtrack for the musical, which is aiming for Broadway. He made the announcement on Friday, 14th June, after a 40th anniversary screening of Beat Street at the Tribeca Film Festival.
"Beat Street wasn’t just a film," Nas said in a statement. "It spread the revolution of hip-hop culture throughout the country and the world. It left an indelible mark, inspiring generations of young artists and creating new hip-hop fans alike. It’s a thrill for me to join the creative team of Beat Street, bringing the raw energy of hip-hop into the fabric of Broadway. It’s an honour to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”
Nas will be joining a team of producers that include Arthur Baker and Michael Holman, who worked on the original film, and Richard Fearn. Additional creative team members are to be announced.
Set in New York City's South Bronx, Beat Street follows a group of aspiring artists—a DJ, breakdancer and graffiti artist—who are chasing their dreams in the early 1980s' bubbling hip-hop scene. Watch the trailer for the original film below.
Nas is also to mark the 30th anniversary of his debut album 'Illmatic' with a trio of orchestral shows in Las Vegas later this year. Last year, he released a surprise album, titled 'Magic 2'.
