Nas is taking the classic 1984 hip-hop film Beat Street to Broadway with a new creative team.
According to Deadline’s report, published on Tuesday (Sept. 29), the Queensbridge legend has put together a decorative team of creative musical professionals to adapt the classic film Beat Street into a musical for Broadway. The team includes Schele Williams who formerly directed the musical The Wiz, playwright Kristoffer Diaz who wrote the Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning musical Hell’s Kitchen, and music supervisor Jason Michael Webb.
Together, Williams will helm the musical, Diaz will pen the show’s book based on the film and Webb will arrange and orchestrate the music. In August, the creative team reportedly collaborated on a 29-hour workshop to adapt the movie into a successful musical.
“Beat Street wasn’t just a film – 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,” Nas told The Hollywood Reporter in June of 2024. “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 honor to breathe new life into this iconic work and celebrate its enduring legacy.”
According to Deadline, the Broadway adaptation of Beat Street will be backed by producers Richard Fearn, Arthur Baker, Michael Holman, and Peter Bittenbender in conjunction with Mass Appeal, which Nas serves as co-founder and investor. Both Baker and Holman are the original producers of the iconic 1984 movie.
Beat Street starred Rae Dawn Chong, Gus Davis, Saundra Santiago and Jon Chardiet and features music by Harry Belafonte, who produced the film based on a script written by Steven Hager. The movie was directed by veteran filmmaker Stan Lathan. The film also featured cameos from hip-hop pioneers DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambataa & The Sonic Force, Doug E. Fresh, Treacherous Three and Melle Mel who performed the title song.
Watch the trailer of Beat Street
Watch the Classic B-Boy Scene From Beat Street
