November 03, 2020

Belly "Opening Scene" (Video, 1998)


"In ''Belly,'' Mr. Williams, a graduate of music videos making his feature film debut as writer and director, uses rapid cuts, multiple images, superimpositions, slow motion and highly dramatic lighting among other devices as he assembles an assortment of rap artists in a tale set in 1999 among mostly undereducated urban black teen-agers. The focus is on the friendship of two of them, who appear older than their years. Pals since childhood, Tommy Brown (Earl Simmons, also known as DMX) and Sincere (Nasir Jones, also known as Nas) have achieved a measure of success in their chosen criminal life, and with a gang of confederates at the outset of the film pull off a murderous, bloody and very remunerative heist at a popular nightclub." - New York Times. That nightclub scene is widely accepted as one of the BEST opening scenes to a movie, ever. As the movie was released in November (1998), let's revisit that intro and check out the soundtrack, too, for tracks like "Top Shotter" with DMX, Sean Paul & Mr. Vegas; the heartfelt "Sometimes" by Noreaga; Half-A-Mil's (R.I.P.) "Some N!ggaz"; "Movin' Out" by Mya, Nore & Raekwon, "Crew Love" by Hov and more. While the movie didn't get rave reviews, I bet you still watch it when it comes on TV!? Yup... I thought so, too.