i must admit i had my reservations about taking time out of my busy schedule to sit down and watch what i presumed to be another badly put together "hood movie" ex.hot boys, state property. but paid in full, paid off! director Charles Stone III, writers Azie Faison Jr. and Austin Phillips did an excellent job of capturing the essence of movies in the same vein that preceded paid in full. the brotherhood of friends -Juice; rags to riches and the drug lord maturation of an empire finally culminating in tragic betrayal -New Jack City; and camron's portrayal of the reckless Rico is quite convincing, reminiscent of the late tupacs bishop and larenz tate's o-dog.

my only fault with a movie of this genre or should i say the fans, is that often times fans walk away from a movie like paid in full and the other aforementioned films with the wrong message. instead of looking beyond what looks glamorous (the fame and fortune of the drug game) fans choose to glorify the "thug life" and end up emulating the characters in the film. maybe filmmakers should be as blatant as keenon ivory wayans was in don't be a menace to society while drinking your juice in da hood "MESSAGE!!!"