When did I fall in love with Hip-Hop? I was 12, drinking my Capri sun, chillin’ in my cousin’s garage, DJ spinning an old school break, and a piece of cardboard in the center for all the breakers. For others it was different, but for Sidney and Dre, played by Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs, it was seeing Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, and Dana Dane rockin’ it in the park. ‘Brown Sugar’ is a story about the love of for hip hop and the ups and downs along the way of that relationship. From when they were 10 years old Sid and Dre stayed friends and kept close till work temporarily put them on opposite ends of the coast. With Sid taking a job as editor of XXL and Dre working for Millennium Records, Hip-Hop brings the two back together. Things were not the same. Hip-Hop grew up and Dre was heading mainstream, but Sid was still living in the past. We constantly get reminded of their history mixed with all the old school music references. There is a scene where both characters recite lyrics from one of the most illest joints in the game, I used to love H.E.R., by Common Sense, which got me to go through all my old cassettes and cd’s for an old school reminder.
Millennium was not a good fit for Dre and decides to start his own label, Brown Sugar Records. With Sid’s support and their relationship, Dre finally realizes what has been missing in his life and why he fell in love with Hip-Hop in the first place. The story also has a good supporting cast featuring Mos Def and Queen Latifah. Brown Sugar is a definitely a feel good movie for any romantic Hip-Hop lover. The use of Hip-Hop as a way to describe Sid and Dre’s relationship is poetic and flows well throughout the film.
If you love dope beats, ryhmes, and life and have that special someone to share it with, then pop this movie in and turn up those speakers. I found my brown sugar and hope you find it too. Keep it fresh.
