Themes: Going Straight, Inner City Blues, Street Gangs
Main Cast: Pras, Ja Rule, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Tamala Jones, Jason Statham
Release Year: 2000
Country: US
Run Time: 86 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Prakazrel Michel, better known as Pras from the top-selling R&B group The Fugees, stars in this urban drama based on both his solo album Ghetto Superstar and his novel of the same name. Diamond (Pras) is an up-and-coming musician who is trying to use his creative gifts to work his way out of the ghetto after the traumatic death of his mother. But he soon discovers that the music industry is nearly as corrupt and dangerous as the streets he's trying to leave behind, and Diamond is guided into a life of crime by his shady friend Gage (Ja Rule). In addition, Diamond must content with the unexpected pregnancy of his girlfriend Tamara (Tamala Jones), and attempts by his father Cliff (Vondie Curtis-Hall) to mend their contentious relationship. Turn It Up, which was produced under the title Ghetto Superstar, also features Eugene Clark and Patricia Velasquez. Madonna helped to produce the film through her production company, Madguy Films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Eugene Clark - Marshall; John Ralston - Mr. White; Chris Messina - Baz
Credit
Kei - Supervising Art Director, Robi Reed-Humes - Casting, Happy Walters - Co-producer, E. Bennett Walsh - Co-producer, Prakazrel "Pras" Michel - Co-producer, Mimi Melgaard - Costume Designer, Julian Petrillo - First Assistant Director, Jude Gorjanc - First Assistant Director, Robert Adetuyi - Director, Jeff Freeman - Editor, Gary Ventimiglia - Executive Producer, Lennox Parris - Executive Producer, Lester Parris - Executive Producer, Frank Fitzpatrick - Composer (Music Score), Happy Walters - Musical Direction/Supervision, Gary Jones - Musical Direction/Supervision, Ina Mayhew - Production Designer, Hubert Taczanowski - Cinematographer, Guy Oseary - Producer, Jaro Dick - Set Designer, Greg Chapman - Sound/Sound Designer, Roy Anderson - Stunts, John Stonehouse - Stunts Coordinator, Ray "Cory" Daniels - Screen Story, Chris Hudson - Screen Story, Kelly Hilaire - Screen Story, Robert Adetuyi - Screenwriter, Tom Quinn - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Frank Gaeta - Supervising Sound Editor, Jaro Dick - Set Decorator
