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TIP HARRIS (also known as rapper ‘TI’):
“I knew about the movie just from working and living in Atlanta, and working around people like T-Boz and all the other people connected with the movie. I read for Drumline when [producer] Dallas Austin did that, and I just told him ‘next time you do a movie I need to be a part of it.’ He told me when they were doing casting, and then I found Chris [Robinson] was involved, and I knew Chris from doing [music] videos, and I hit it from that angle.”
EVAN ROSS:
“Working with a first-time director, as well as it being my first time shooting a movie, I think was a blessing because we both were able to learn together. Most people in the movie were close and got to feed off one another, which made it an easier process for everyone. It was a big deal for me. We were all so passionate about the project.”
ANTWAN ANDRE PATTON (plays Marcus) he’s also known as Big Boi, half of the super singing duo OutKast:
“In my last movie Idewild I was a good guy, in this movie I’m the bad guy, so I had fun with it. Just about all of (my intimidation scenes with Evan) were freestyle – there were no scripted lines. Chris was like, ‘Okay, these are the parameters, you do your thing. I want to see something organic come away from it.’ It was fun, man. Evan’s like a little brother to me.”
LONDON:
“I was happy to hear that TI had got the part of Rashad, because he’s such a big force in Atlanta, and in order for the movie to be authentic about Atlanta, I knew that his presence was needed. It was exciting. He’s a cool dude.”
HARRIS:
“I felt like a big brother to everybody. I felt like it was my watch. I felt like if anything happened, or something needed to be taken care of, I was responsible to do it because I was the only one who was really from there. I guess you could say I took my character home with me and kept taking care of them even after we shot.”
ROSS on the day his mother, singing legend Diana Ross, visited the set:
“She came on the day where TI and I fight. You know what? She was being a mom. She missed me because I’m usually always with her. We were doing the scene where TI’s pushing me, hitting me in the head. And my mom was like, ‘Come here.’ After I’d come over, she said, ‘He’s hitting you in the ear. Don’t let him hit you in the ear.’ I’m like, ‘Mom, it’s fine. I gotta keep my rep!’”
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THE CONCEPT:
