A drug kingpin's rise and tragic fall is witnessed vicariously by a reporter who uses the criminal's diary as the basis for his new book.
Acting
DMX's raw, wounded charisma carries every flashback.
Direction
Dickerson's music video energy meets tragic structure.
Writing
Donald Goines adaptation honors pulp poetry.
Director
Ernest R. Dickerson
DMX
King David
David Arquette
Paul
Michael Ealy
Michael
Drew Sidora
Ella
Antwon Tanner
Blue
Luenell
Jasper
Clifton Powell
Moon
Tommy Lister Jr.
Rockie
Aisha Tyler
Nancy
Art Evans
Mr. Waters
Damion Poitier
Alvin
Michele Shay
Juanita's Mother
Henry Gibson
Funeral Home Director (uncredited)
Rhoda Jordan
Brenda (uncredited)
Jennifer Sky
Janet
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Adapted from Donald Goines' 1974 novel, the godfather of Black pulp fiction whose own life mirrored his characters' destruction.
DMX insisted on performing his own death scene multiple times, reportedly staying in the coffin between takes.
US
