1985 Hit Film, Originally Launching Iconic Actor, Ranked Among ‘Best Movie Soundtracks' of All Time
Released in 1985, a musical-comedy film that cemented the Hollywood status of then-rising star Blair Underwood was named among the best movie soundtracks ever made.
Krush Groove, a movie directed by Michael Schultz, was based on the real-life experiences of Def Jam Recordings co-founder Russell Simmons, who created the iconic record labels at a time when the hip-hop music scene was largely ignored.
Written by the renowned television producer Ralph Farquhar, who was celebrated for his notable Black sitcoms like The Parkers, Moesha and the Disney animated series The Proud Family, the movie centers on the early days of the record label, following Simmons, who was a young music producer at the time, struggling to navigate the rise of the New York rap scene while balancing his career ambitions amid challenges in his personal life.
The movie stars Underwood as Russell Walker, who was then an ambitious young manager who launched his new hip-hop record label named Krush Groove.
After one of his talents secured a massive hit record, he found himself grappling to keep his business afloat. To address the fast-paced financial pressures, he took a bold risk to keep the business afloat.
Beyond the rocky stage of his business, Walker was also dealing with romantic rivalry within his family and at the same time seeking out new talent.
Joining Underwood in the lead cast are LisaGay Hamilton as assistant Aisha and Richard Gant, who played the notorious neighborhood loan shark Jay B.
Since Krush Groove focuses on music as the background, the film featured a mix of R&B, old-school hip-hop, dance-pop and rock.
With this, Rolling Stone ranked the movie at No. 76 on the list of "best movie soundtracks" of all time as it proudly showcased the work of music legends such as Chaka Khan singing "(Krush Groove) Can't Stop the Street" and influential musicians like the Beastie Boys' track "She's on It," LL Cool J's breakout hit "I Can't Live Without My Radio," Blondie vocalist Debbie Harry for "Feel the Spin" as well as the all-star collaboration from Fat Boys, Run-D.M.C., Sheila E. and Kurtis Blow with "Krush Groovin."
During the celebration of the movie's 35th anniversary, Underwood recalled the fondest moment he had on set and playfully mentioned his co-star's name.
"Being able to kiss Sheila E," he joked during an exclusive interview with Black Film and TV, adding, "No, seriously, because the first time we kissed we had already done a love scene, but that wasn't until later in the shooting. So there's a scene when Run comes off the elevator. I come off the elevator and we meet in the hallway. And Sheila's there. Michael Schultz, the director, said, ‘Because you guys already made love together in the story, continuity-wise, I think when you greet each other, you should kiss.'"
The actor then revealed that it wasn't part of the script but happened spontaneously during filming.
Related: 1967 Hit Film Ranked Among ‘Best Movies of All Time'
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This story was originally published May 17, 2026 at 8:49 PM.