The early 2000s were the heyday of rap crews branching out into multiple forms of media, with groups like Cash Money, No Limit, and State Property self-financing their own films throughout the decade to varying degrees of success. As adherents to that decade’s take on grimy, New York City-centric sounds, the Buffalo, New York-based Griselda Records is embracing that throwback aesthetic in more ways than one, sharing the trailer for their own crime drama film, Conflicted.
Westside Gunn, the mastermind behind the label’s past decade of growth, including its explosion in popularity within the last few years, shared the trailer on Instagram and paid homage to the pioneers of rap label-financed crime action films. “When Master P did Bout It Bout It showing u the N.O. and Hov made Streets Is Watching showing u BK, and Cam’ron made Killa Season showing u Harlem, Griselda & Conflicted shows u Buffalo,” he wrote. “We’re taking it back to when ppl stole your DVDs.” Ah, the good old days.
Gunn seems jazzed about the movie’s potential, saying, “I’ve literally watched this movie every day since its completion… I promise u you will watch this 50x like any other classic in the streets… What Griselda did for music will be the same way for film. It’s all about the art.”
Check out the trailer for Conflicted above.