CB4

CB4 is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis and starring Chris Rock. The film follows a fictional rap group named "CB4", named after the prison block in which the group was allegedly formed (Cell Block 4). The movie primarily parodies the rap group N.W.A among other gangsta rap aspects, as well as taking inspiration from This is Spinal Tap. It contains short segments featuring celebrities and musicians such as Halle Berry, Eazy-E, Butthole Surfers, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Flavor Flav, and Shaquille O'Neal.

Plot

Three young friends and aspiring rappers, Albert, Euripides, and Otis want to make their big break. The trio have talent, but no marketable image. In order to get their name heard, they appeal to local crime kingpin and nightclub owner Gusto along with his sidekick and henchman 40 Dog to ask for a spot on the bill at his club, but during a failed meeting the police rush in and throw Gusto in jail.

Gusto believes that the trio set him up, swearing revenge when he is released from prison. While Gusto is locked up, Albert steals his criminal background and identity to become "MC Gusto", renaming Euripides and Otis as "Dead Mike" and "Stab Master Arson" respectively. Together they form the hardcore gangsta rap group CB4 (Cell Block 4) and successfully sign with Trustus Jones, a local music mogul. CB4 becomes the hottest band on the charts with controversial hits like "Sweat of My Balls" and "Straight Outta LoCash", and their rise to fame is documented by an aspiring director and his cameraman. However, an ambitious politician seeks to shut them down for obscenity charges, and tensions between the group arise over one member's gold-digging groupie girlfriend Sissy and the strain of the charade takes its toll on Albert's family life and relationship with his wholesome girlfriend Daliha. To compound this, the real Gusto escapes from prison and sets out to get revenge by making Albert take part in a record store robbery, exposing his face to the CCTV cameras and then taking the tape as a tool for blackmail. The group breaks up and reunites after Trustus Jones's death at the hands of Gusto. Eventually, the group set up their own sting operation with Sissy to capture Gusto and he is sent to prison for life. Albert gives up the pretense of being a gangsta, emceeing under his real name, and the group embarks on a reunion tour.

Cast

Chris Rock as Albert/MC Gusto
Allen Payne as Euripides/Dead Mike
Deezer D as Otis/Stab Master Arson
Chris Elliott as A. White
Phil Hartman as Virgil Robinson
Charlie Murphy as Gusto
Khandi Alexander as Sissy
Art Evans as Albert Sr.
Theresa Randle as Eve
Willard E. Pugh as Trustus
Ty Granderson Jones as 40 Dog
Rachel True as Daliha
Victor Wilson as Lt. Davenport
Richard Gant as Baa Baa Ack
J.D. Daniels as Julia
Stoney Jackson as Wacky Dee
Isaac Hayes as Owner

Cameos
Ice-T as Himself
Halle Berry as Herself
Ice Cube as Himself
Flavor Flav as Himself
Shaquille O'Neal as Himself
Eazy-E as Himself
Tommy Davidson as Weird Warren (uncredited)
Butthole Surfers as Themselves

Soundtrack

A soundtrack containing hip hop music was released on March 2, 1993, by MCA Records. It peaked at #41 on the Billboard 200 and #13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

In popular culture
The quote from the movie "Boy, I'm three generations deep in gangsterdom. Three generations." was used in the Chris Rock tracks "Champagne" and "I Loved the Show" from his 1997 album Roll with the New.

Reception
The movie had a mixed reception from critics. Los Angeles Times wrote that despite CB4 having been "one of the more adventurous of the recent African-American comedies, it still gets bogged down in those movie-movie formulas, those phony recipes for success." The New York Times''' Janet Maslin wrote that the film "promises sharper satire than it actually delivers. Pandering a shade too avidly to the real rap audience, the film sometimes tries to use the same sexist, mean-spirited ethos it makes fun of."

The movie currently holds a rating of 55% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 22 reviews.

Box office
The film ranked No. 1 at the box office in its opening weekend, with sales totaling $6,116,000 across 1,205 theaters. At the end of its domestic run it had grossed a total of $17,953,778. Chris Rock stated that the film's budget was $6 million.

See alsoFear of a Black Hat''

References

External links
 
 

Category:1993 films
Category:1990s musical comedy films
Category:English-language films
Category:American mockumentary films
Category:American musical comedy films
Category:1990s hip hop films
Category: Hood comedy films
Category:American satirical films
Category:American films
Category:Films directed by Tamra Davis
Category:Films with screenplays by Chris Rock
Category:Universal Pictures films