Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Robert Taylor could’ve swapped destinies in 1984, if only a casting choice had gone differently. Taylor, forever etched into Hip-Hop history as “Lee” in Beat Street, recently revealed that that the late Warner auditioned for the same role.
“Funny part is—God rest his soul—but Malcolm-Jamal Warner auditioned for my part as Lee,” Taylor told AllHipHop. “And you know who else? Emmanuel Lewis, ‘Webster.’ He auditioned for Lee, too.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner would soon become Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, as the hit show debuted the same year as the Harry Belafonte-produced Beat Street. The movie is one of the first major films to showcase Hip-Hop culture on the big screen. Set in the Bronx, the movie follows a group of young friends chasing their dreams through breakdancing, DJing, graffiti and rap. Each individual must navigate the struggles of poverty and survival in New York City. Lee was one of the main, attractive characters.
The revelation reframes the beginnings of both stars. Warner was just a teenager with acting chops and a sitcom pilot under his belt. He was Hip-Hop adjacent, appearing in rap videos by Whodini. Taylor, by his own admission, was simply a kid who wanted to dance. He told AHH‘s DJ Thoro and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur he had no clue the audition involved dialogue at all.
“I was only focused on the dancing,” he said. “That’s all I wanted to do. They said, ‘Congratulations, you guys are the cast of the movie. Robert, you’re a big part of the film. You’re going to play the little brother. Your character’s name is Lee.’”
See The Full, Exclusive Interview With Robert “Lee” Taylor Below. He Talks Being A Reluctant Star, How He Got The Role Of “Lee” And The Ups And Downs Of Being A Child Star.
That name, Lee, wasn’t just a character. His performance became the emotional heartbeat of Beat Street. Even decades later, fans ink his image on their skin and recite his lines as part of Hip-Hop’s cinematic canon.
Meanwhile, Warner didn’t get a role in Beat Street, yet he was on the verge of his own breakthrough. The Cosby Show debuted later that year, propelling him into history. Yet Warner’s ties to Hip-Hop run deeper than guest appearances in rap videos
He built a career as a poet, spoken-word artist and MC with his band Miles Long. His art channelled the influence of early Hip-Hop pioneers, speaking truth to power. His audition for Beat Street is definitely a massive “what if” moment.
Robert Taylor still embodies Hip-Hop on the big screen and Lee is a character that resonates with fans more than 40 years since the release date. Looking back, Taylor credits another legend for making it all possible.
“Hip-Hop owes Harry Belafonte for producing Beat Street,” Taylor said. “If it wasn’t for him, who knows where we’d be. That movie made us all part of history.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner died in July, a victim of a tragic riptide in Costa Rica. Both he and Robert Taylor are heroes in the global rise of Hip-Hop culture.