Propelled by a funky, high-octane hip-hop/R&B soundtrack that landed at number 2 on the Billboard album charts, Mario Van Peebles’ debut feature put a fresh spin on classic gangland tales like Scarface and The Godfather by rooting its tale of drug lords and undercover cops in the realities of Black urban life amidst the crack epidemic of the early ’90s. Boasting iconic turns by Ice-T (in his first acting role), Judd Nelson, Chris Rock, Vanessa Williams and more, the film truly belongs to Wesley Snipes, who, as crack kingpin Nino Brown, delivers a supremely controlled performance that balances cool-as-a-cucumber charisma with sociopathic menace. Van Peebles’ energetic direction is showy but never gimmicky, employing sweeping dollies, canted angles, fast-and-furious cuts, and an electrifying opening helicopter shot that all help to create a riveting portrait of a city on the edge.