‘I wanted Kid ’n Play but the studio said, “Who are these guys?” I replied, “They’ve got platinum records.” I had no idea if they did’
Black music videos weren’t played on MTV in the late 80s. So while I was still at Harvard, I’d make music videos in my head. One day, while listening to Bad Boy/Having a Party by Luther Vandross, I thought: “This could be a great music video or movie.” And I sat down that night and wrote a script for a short film that ended up not only being made but shown at festivals and becoming a big hit in the world of student films. Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It had piqued interest in up-and-coming black film-makers. New Line Cinema saw my short and brought me in for a meeting. I pitched an expanded version of my idea and they said: “Let’s do it.”
The studio wanted Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Instead, I asked Kid ’n Play – AKA Christopher “Kid” Reid and Christopher “Play” Martin – to star. I loved their music videos, their style, their look. But I still had to convince New Line. They said: “Who are these guys?” I said: “They’ve got platinum records.” I had no idea if they did!
The movie – about a kid who’s been grounded but can’t bear to miss the party of the year – kept everything from the student film. It was just a matter of building on the world and the characters. It was exhilarating. I remember thinking: “It seems to be going great, but how do I know what going great feels like?”
