Urban January-March 2007

News and titles being released January-March 2007 from the urban genre.

NEWS

Urban market keeps the faith
Trends have come and gone within the urban market. Faith-based titles have gained prominence recently, and one genre that has always managed to be successful is comedy. Full story

UPCOMING TITLES

Allumination
Available Feb. 6 at $9.98 each are urban catalog titles The Beat, Blackmale, Brewster’s Place, Junior’s Groove, Race, A Stranger in the Kingdom, Sudie and Simpson, Brakin’ vs. Krumpin’, Spiritual Warfares of Krump Krump and Words by Heart. Also available the same day, the documentary Testimonies of Faith (DVD $14.98) teaches about the journeys that led some celebrities down the road to Christianity. All prebook Jan. 9

Buena Vista
The Heart of the Game is a documentary that captures the passion of a Seattle high-school girls’ basketball team and one player’s fight to play the game she loves. Street Feb. 27, prebook Jan. 16; DVD $29.99

CodeBlack/Vivendi
Playas Ball is about a professional basketball player who must fight to save all he has worked for. Street Feb. 6, prebook Jan. 8; DVD $19.99

Arriving Feb. 27, Vegas Vampires (prebook Jan. 30; DVD $14.99) is a cross between Shaft and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

With a street date of March 6, Premium (prebook Feb. 5; DVD $24.99) is about a struggling actor fed up with taking stereotypical African American roles.

Jamie Foxx Presents: America’s Funniest Comics Vol. 1 has Foxx returning to his comedy roots with Cedric the Entertainer as the master of ceremonies. Street March 27, prebook Feb. 27; DVD $14.99

Entertainment Studios/Starz
Eddie Murphy Delirious was taped live in concert in 1983 and originally aired on HBO. Street Feb. 6, prebook Jan. 10; DVD $19.98

Fox
Streeting Jan. 9, Color of the Cross (prebook now; DVD $26.98) is the first depiction of Jesus Christ as a black man and the first to suggest that the crucifixion might have been racially motivated.

First Look
17000 Block is a gritty tale about a young man in the middle of a street family rivalry. Street Feb. 13, prebook Jan. 9; DVD $14.99

Genius
Street Fight follows the turbulent campaign of Cory Booker, who is running for mayor of Newark, N.J., against Sharpe James, the four-term street-smart incumbent twice his age. Street Jan. 9, prebook now; DVD $24.95

HBO/Warner
Coming Feb. 6, Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam Episodes 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 (prebook Jan. 2; DVD $19.96 each) feature new episodes. Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Season Four (street Feb. 27, prebook Jan. 23; two-disc set $19.96) is the fourth season of the Peabody Award-winning series.

Walkout portrays a girl’s vision of equality, which leads to high-school walkouts in protest of academic prejudices in 1968 East L.A. Street March 6, prebook Jan. 30; DVD $26.98

Image
Paul Mooney: Know Your History—Jesus was Black; so was Cleopatra is a stand-up comedy performance. Street Feb. 6, prebook now; DVD $19.99

Friends & Lovers is an uncensored comedy that takes a look at two very different relationships; The Maintenance Man is about a male escort who finds the woman of his dreams; Men Cry in the Dark is about looking for love in all the wrong places; Finesse Mitchell Live features the comedian. All street Feb. 13, prebook Jan. 2; DVD $14.99 each

R. Kelly Live! The Light It Up Tour is a live concert with the hip-hop star. Street March 20, prebook Feb. 6; DVD $19.99

Lionsgate
Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino’s classic cult crime drama, is coming to Blu-ray. Street Feb. 6, prebook Jan. 10; $29.99

The Bros. chronicles the adventures of a pair of wannabe “gangsta rappers.” Street Feb. 20, prebook Jan. 24; DVD $19.98

Available Feb. 27, the Oscar Box Set (prebook Jan. 31; DVD $19.98) includes Crash and Monster’s Ball.

Magnolia
Cocaine Cowboys chronicles the cocaine trade of the ‘70s and ‘80s and its impact on contemporary Miami. Street Jan. 23, prebook now; DVD $26.98

Maverick
On the Fusion label, For Amor (street Feb. 13, prebook Jan. 19; DVD $16.98) is about a man who risks everything while on a business trip. La Casa Loca (street March 27, prebook March 2; DVD $16.98) is a raunchy college frat comedy about a sex-starved youth who leaves Brooklyn to attend a Midwestern college where he can meet easy female co-eds. On the Platinum label, Da Block Party 2 (street Feb. 6, prebook Jan. 12; DVD $16.98) is a summer jam. And on the Spirit label, Lost Soul: The Movie (street March 20, prebook Feb. 23; DVD $16.98) features Christian hip-hop artists Don “Mr. D-Note” Franklin and Ernesto “Brotha-E” Rubio in a tale of two young men growing up too fast. Finally, on the Urban label, Repentence (street March 13, prebook Feb. 16; DVD $16.98) is about a hired assassin who ignites a deadly war between L.A.’s Asian and black crime families to cover up his vengeful killing spree.

Monterey
Arriving Feb. 27, Honor (prebook Jan. 23; DVD $24.95) portrays the ultimate fight for power, family and honor.

Polychrome/Warner
Hip Hop Legends uncovers the history of hip hop. Street Feb. 6, prebook Jan. 2; DVD $19.97

Arriving Feb. 20, Confessions of a Thug (prebook Jan. 16; DVD $19.97) is about a street hustler who sets his sights on becoming a king pin.

Rykodisc
Say Amen, Somebody is the 25th anniversary edition of the documentary film that explores the pioneers of modern gospel music. Street March 6, prebook Jan. 30; two-disc set with bonus CD $24.95

Screen Media/Universal
With a street date of Feb. 27, Planet Brooklyn (prebook Jan. 30; DVD $24.98) is an urban comedy that follows two slackers who think talent and heart are all you need.

Sony
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars in Gridiron Gang, the $38.4 million-grossing PG-13 film that tells the true story of a probation office who turns a group of delinquents into a high-school football team in four weeks. Street Jan. 16, prebook now; DVD or PSP $28.95 each

Crossover is the story of two basketball hopefuls who want to unseat the reigning underground streetball champions. Street Feb. 20, prebook Jan. 18; DVD $26.96

Starlight
From Oxygen, the two-disc set Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance: Competitions 1 & 2 shows that large women are beautiful. Street Feb. 2, prebook now; $19.99

Warner
NBA Street Series Vol. 4: Class of ‘03 spotlights the draft class of 2003 and the impact this talented group of players has made on the game. Street Feb. 23, prebook Jan. 9; DVD $19.98

Westlake
For hip hop fans, Junior MAFIA Anthology is in a holographic packaged box set. Street March 27, prebook Feb. 13; DVD $29.98

Xenon/Vivendi
Available March 6, Hood of Horror (prebook Feb. 6; DVD $24.99) is an homage to the Tales From the Crypt comics, with Snoop Dogg as the guide.

—Compiled by Barbara Wexler

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