Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of films and musical genres. Click “Next Soundtrack” below to explore each soundtrack in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & soundtrack index here.

Juice
MCA (1991)
Selected by Justin Chadwick

The greatest hip-hop inspired film ever made? A tough call, with Wild Style (1983), Beat Street (1984), Krush Groove (1985), 8 Mile (2002), and Hustle & Flow (2005) all more than worthy candidates. Another film that certainly warrants consideration, and my personal favorite of the bunch, is 1991’s Juice.

Notable for being one of the first films to depict and celebrate the DJ within the broader context of hip-hop culture, Juice is also noteworthy for being Tupac Shakur’s first silver screen acting gig. Shakur’s performance as Roland Bishop, the disaffected Harlem youth who leads his crew of friends astray in a botched corner store holdup, was instantly memorable and reinforced that his talents extended well beyond the hip-hop game alone. And lest we overlook that the film also served as the underappreciated Omar Epps’ breakout role as the ambitious, conscientious DJ Quincy "Q" Powell, in addition to featuring brief cameos by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah, Doctor Dre & Ed Lover, Fab Five Freddy, and EPMD.

The accompanying soundtrack showcases several heavyweights of hip-hop’s Golden Era, including Eric B. & Rakim (“Juice (Know the Ledge)”), Big Daddy Kane (“Nuff Respect”), Too $hort (“So You Want to be a Gangster”), Naughty by Nature (“Uptown Anthem”), and the aforementioned EPMD (“It’s Going Down”).

The lighter R&B flavored fare incorporated throughout lends the whole affair a balanced feel overall, with standout tracks including Teddy Riley’s “Is It Good to You” featuring Tammy Lucas, Aaron Hall’s catchy but admittedly somewhat creepy “Don’t Be Afraid” (er, just listen to the lyrics), and the Brand New Heavies’ closing “People Get Ready.”

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