Rock Around the Block

Vanities

Satirizing rap might seem like a form of cannibalism—it's half parody anyway—but CB 4 (short for Cell Block 4), the story of three young African-Americans who turn to rap music as a way of escaping the humiliating comfort of middle-class life, adroitly spoofs a world in which the manufacturing of "dangerous rebels" is commonplace and this week's cash-money-makin' icon is next week's add-on to a Yo! MTV Raps "best of" collection. No doubt rap is ripe for a good-humored drive-by, but it's noteworthy that CB 4, which stars comedian Chris Rock, was brought to the screen by executive producers Brian Grazer (Parenthood and Backdraft) and Sean Daniel, a former studio head whose office is wallpapered with Godard posters. "Look, it's a great script," Grazer says. "It's smart and got a lot of edge. How could I not like it?" Daniel concurs: ' 'One of the movies I fought for at Universal was Animal House. They looked at me like I should be committed, but it got made. CB 4 is that same kind of movie."

Not exactly. With Animal House, most exhibitors didn't fear disruption from what is condescendingly called "the urban demographic." "You're right," Daniel says, "but this movie won't cause riots any more than Do the Right Thing." Grazer quickly jumps in: "Here's the other thing. We're not gonna exploit this [black films] once and leave. We all lose if only one kind of movie gets made."