8 Mile is one of the greatest films of all time to star a musician – basically Rocky with ‘yo mama’ insults – and helped to firmly cement Eminem as one of the icons of hip hop, spawning the monstrous pump-up anthem ‘Lose Yourself’ in the process.
Now, with battle rap being far more popular than it was backin ’02, Billboard reports that Em is going back to the well for another try. This time though, he’ll be sitting in the producer chair, and the film will be a comedy rather than a highly-motivational drama.
Bodied is based on a script by Alex Larsen aka Kid Twist, one of the icons of Canada’s battle rap scene who played a large part in growing the popularity of the artform/sport in the country over the past decade, and is one of the funniest in the game.
Off to a good start, then, but it’ll also be directed by Joseph Kahn, who has tackled music videos not just for Eminem, but Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and U2, and the flick will make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
“Battle rap is not boxing, it’s a street fight,” the trailer announces, “words are weapons”, summing up the principle behind battle rap that’s made it so popular in recent years. The film isn’t taking itself or battle rap too seriously, labeling itself “A satirical exploration of the world’s most artistically brutal sport – battle rapping,” but it will tackle some issues important to the culture like race relations.
The cast will include Anthony Michael Hall and Debra Wilson in the lead roles, with appearance from rap names like Charlamagne tha God, and appearances from some of battle rap’s most popular figures like progenitor Loaded Lux, the controversial Dizaster, Korean-American hero Dumbfoundead, and current MVP Hollow Da Don.
Check out the first trailer below.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eID2cEN3J1g
