JayQuan & Steven Hager

I wrote a script called: "The Perfect Beat " and I took it to Jane Fonda's production company in New York. I was hoping to find some politically aware company that would let out a truthful picture of the origins of hip hop. They passed on it, but one of Fonda's executives tried to get me to sign a contract giving her rights over the property for like $500.

Then I went to Harry Belafonte. Harry wanted to make a nice movie that really didn't touch the dark side or show the violent and nasty aspects of life in the South Bronx. Harry bought my script, then threw it out the window and replaced it with a limp and bogus storyline signifying nothing, only kept a few of my character's names. They gave me "story credit", but in reality, there's nothing in the story of Beat Street that resembles my story at all.

My film was closer to Boyz in the Hood than the dream world they came up with.

But now I'm older and have kids myself, I understand where Harry was coming from. I think he was motivated by a strong desire to create positive role models for young black kids.

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