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Fear of a Black Hat

Play trailer Poster for Fear of a Black Hat R 1994 1h 25m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
This mock documentary follows sociologist Nina Blackburn (Kasi Lemmons) during the year she spends studying hip-hop artists Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff), Tasty-Taste (Larry B. Scott), Tone Def (Mark Christopher Lawrence) and a series of disappearing white managers. Every rap cliché is on display: sex, sexism, violent imagery and paint-peeling profanity -- all of it, the group insists, with a deeper political meaning -- plus the inevitable rivalry with other rappers and ultimately themselves.
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Fear of a Black Hat

Critics Reviews

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Anderson Jones Detroit Free Press Apr 26, 2022
2/4
What Rusty Cundieff, who wrote, directs and stars in the film, doesn't realize is that satire isn't just parody; it also requires razor-sharp insight. Go to Full Review Peter Travers Rolling Stone Aug 14, 2007
3/4
The best hip-hop film of all. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy Variety Jun 30, 2006
3/4
Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, this mockumentary exposes the trials of a hardcore rap band, N.W.H. (Niggas With Hats) with wild, irreverent humor and exuberant music. Go to Full Review Sheila Reid Women in the Life May 16, 2022
Director Rusty Cundieff manages to make the film entertaining with fresh gags and hilarious parodies of music videos. Go to Full Review Jason Shawhan Nashville Scene Sep 10, 2021
If you've never seen this film but have love for hip-hop in your heart, you need to check it out. Go to Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal May 30, 2014
4/5
It lampoons the luminaries, yes, but gives their authentic anger, which came from a real place, the benefit of gentler nudges. Its greatest fury lambastes losers who embraced a gangster rap ethos to build a bank account, not let loose a battle cry. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Oscar R. @Rottrokc Jan 24, 2026 A great moc- doc for a good laugh! See more Brian F. @FedUpDVDCollector Dec 27, 2025 Fantastic. The songs crack me up being a fan of 90’s Hip-Hop. “Just a human being” is prone to pop in my head. Growing up I loved CB4, but this is much better. See more Jun 2, 2021 It's ye olde cliche, but, if you like "This is Spinal Tap" (1984), you'll love "Fear of a Black Hat," and not just for the internal rhyme of it all. Larry B. Scott (better known as Lamar from the "Revenge of the Nerd" films) is not recognizable as Tasty Taste, and is so un-Lamar-like here, it will shock you. The sensitivity Mark Christopher Lawrence brings to Tone Def as the gangsta who goes all P.M. Dawn is so great, it's worth watching this one for his portrayal alone. See more Feb 18, 2021 AKA "This Is Spinal Rap" See more Andreas T @Andreas71 Jan 26, 2021 This is a complete must see. See more Jun 17, 2020 One of the most underrated movies I've seen. It's basically spinal tap for hip-hop. See more Read all reviews
Fear of a Black Hat

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Cast & Crew

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Rusty Cundieff

Director

Larry B. Scott

Tasty Taste

Mark Christopher Lawrence

Tone Def

Rusty Cundieff

Ice Cold

Kasi Lemmons

Nina Blackburn

Howie Gold

Guy Friesch

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Fear of a Black Hat

Fear of a Black Hat (1993) Fear of a Black Hat (1993) Fear of a Black Hat (1993) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis This mock documentary follows sociologist Nina Blackburn (Kasi Lemmons) during the year she spends studying hip-hop artists Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff), Tasty-Taste (Larry B. Scott), Tone Def (Mark Christopher Lawrence) and a series of disappearing white managers. Every rap cliché is on display: sex, sexism, violent imagery and paint-peeling profanity -- all of it, the group insists, with a deeper political meaning -- plus the inevitable rivalry with other rappers and ultimately themselves.
Director
Rusty Cundieff
Producer
Darin Scott
Screenwriter
Rusty Cundieff
Distributor
Avatar Films, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co
Oakwood Productions, Incorporated Television Company
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 3, 1994, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 27, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$232.5K
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Ultra-Stereo, Surround, Stereo
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