A popular basketball film is making its way to HBO Max. As reported by Mashable, Above the Rim will begin streaming on HBO Max on Nov. 1. Directed by Jeff Pollack, Above the Rim takes a look at a high school basketball star, Kyle Watson, who is waiting to hear if he will receive a Georgetown scholarship. However, Watson is also asked to play in a playground basketball tournament ran by Birde, a local thug and former standout basketball player. Watson has to decide to play for his high school basketball coach or Birdie, who he has known for years.
Above the Rim stars Duane Martin as Watson and Tupac Shakur as Bridie. The film also features Marlon Wayans, Leon Robinson, Wood Harris and Bernie Mac. Released in 1994, Above the Rim made a little over $16 million worldwide on a $6.5 million project. What the film might be most known for is the soundtrack as it went double platinum. And the song from the soundtrack, “Regulate” by Warren G and Nate Dogg, was one of the most popular songs of the 1990s. Regulate was nominated for a Grammy Award and reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
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“I give it the top five because it was one of the biggest Hip Hop singles ever,” Warren G said in an interview with HipHop DX in 2019. “That’s a fact. I can’t say what number, but it’s in the top five. For it to be playing 25 years strong and still going, that means something and lets the world know that G-Funk is here to stay, and Warren G is here to stay. We’re going to keep doing that s—. We’re not gonna stop.”
Most of the cast members in Above the Rim went on to have successful careers in Hollywood. Martin was recently seen in the TV series L.A.’s Finest with Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union. One year after Above the Rim was released, Marlon Wayans starred in his own TV series with his brother Shawn, which was called the Wayans Bros. Shakur was at the peak of his popularity as he was one of the top hip-hop artists in the world when Above the Rim hit theatres. He died on Sept. 13, 1996, and is considered by many as one of the most influential rappers of all-time.
