Spike Lee's favorite cinematographer directed this compelling story of four young men growing up in Harlem. In a world of drugs and crime, Q (Epps) dreams of becoming a D.J. after a local talent contest, but his friend Bishop (Shakur) convinces the other three to join him in an armed robbery the night of the show with Q's performance at the battle of the mixmasters as an alibi. This confronting film is about the struggles and contradictions of a world where teenagers are parents and happiness leads to violence.