The Greatest Black Musical Movies

The greatest African-American movies with musical themes.

Sparkle (2012) - Shay ‏@Hotlikf22: "@BET 'I do know a rat when I see one! Sister, he's just going to drag you through the gutter' #Sparkle #Blackmoviequotes" (Photo: Stage 6 Films)

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Sparkle - The 2012 film Sparkle is a remake of the 1976 film of the same name. The movie featured Jordin Sparks, Mike Epps and the late Whitney Houston and is about a girl group trying to make it in the '60s. (Photo: Stage 6 Films)

Cadillac Records, Wednesday at 9P/8C - Beyoncé's taking us back to a simpler time and the music in the film is too!Check out a few other musical flicks.(Photo: Sony Pictures)

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Cadillac Records - Caddillac Records told the story of legendary Chicago blues and soul label Chess Records. The movie featured Beyoncé as Etta James, Mos Def as Chuck Berry and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters. (Photo: Sony Films)

Dreamgirls - Very loosely based on the story of one of the most famous female groups of the '60s (The Supremes), Dreamgirls chronicles the journey of three Detroit–born women as they conjure magic on the airwaves.Beyonce co-stars as Deena Jones, an innocent teen singer who later becomes the star and steals the spotlight from Jennifer Hudson's character, Effie White, when their manager Curtis Taylor, played by Jamie Foxx, realizes the "quality" in Deena.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Dreamgirls - The movie Dreamgirls was based on the musical of the same name (which itself was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. The movie starred Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy. (Photo: DreamWorks Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Dreamworks

The Five HeartBeats (Photo: Twentieth Century FOX)

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The Five Heartbeats - The Five Heartbeats was written and directed by Robert Townsend, who also starred in the movie. The movie told the story of a Temptations-like group and their struggles with success, racism, drugs and women. (Photo: 20th Century Fox Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Pictures

The Wiz - A revisionist version of The Wizard of Oz, this film is an adaptation of the 1975 Tony-winning musical that brought down the house on Broadway. In the 1978 film version, starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, Dorothy — now a Harlem school teacher — isn't in Kansas anymore.(Photo: Courtesy Universal Pictures)

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The Wiz - The Wiz was based on the popular play, a loose adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, and starred Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Nipsey Russel as the Tin Man and Diana Ross as Dorothy. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Fame Premieres Monday at 8P/7C - Will Naturi be able to pay the price? (Photo: MGM)

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Fame - Fame is set in the famous Laguardia School for the Performing Arts in New York City. The movie tells the story of a group of artisitic students and their struggles. (Photo: United Artists)

Photo By Photo: United Artists

Beat Street - Beat Street is about a group of friends — a deejay, a breakdancer and a graffiti artist — who are chasing their dreams in New York City. The movie featured performances by Doug E. Fresh, Kool Mo Dee and Melle Mel. (Photo: Orion Pictures)

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Beat Street - Beat Street is about a group of friends — a deejay, a breakdancer and a graffiti artist — who are chasing their dreams in New York City. The movie featured performances by Doug E. Fresh, Kool Mo Dee and Melle Mel. (Photo: Orion Pictures)

Prince in Purple Rain - The eccentric rocker's first cruise on the big screen was in a vehicle custom made to showcase his talents. Though considered an outrageous and experimental film, Purple Rain went on to gross nearly $100 million and proved Prince's global star power.(Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures)

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Purple Rain - In Purple Rain, Prince starred as a musician in Minneapolis struggling to make it and struggling with his family and love life. The music featured some of Prince's most famous hits, including the title song. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

Krush Groove (1985) - Shortly after catching a street buzz with the release of his debut single, “I Need a Beat,” LL Cool J made his film debut with a cameo in the hip hop classic Krush Groove. L’s brief scene — playing himself aggressively auditioning for a record deal — blew audiences away, not only turning him into rap music’s first solo superstar but also a potential movie star.(Photo: Crystalite Productions)

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Krush Groove - Krush Groove tells a fictionalized version of the start of Def Jam Records and features Blair Underwood playing Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin playing himself. Other Def Jam artists appeared, including the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. Run DMC and the Fat Boys also had major roles. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

School Daze (1988) - Wanting to illustrate the tension between Black college students and Black Atlanta locals, Spike Lee cast Jackson as Leeds, a Jheri curl-wearing street tough guy who tried to remind a Black student leader (Laurence Fishburne) that he's just a n----r. Again, a classic performance.(Photo: Courtesy Columbia Pictures)

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School Daze - School Daze was written and directed by Spike Lee and was based on his experiences at Morehouse College. The movie featured several musical numbers including the controversial "Good and Bad Hair" number with Tisha Campbell. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

Photo By (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Pictures)

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Carmen: A Hip Hopera, Wednesday at 2:30P/1:30C - For Beyoncé love is a game. Take a peek at other films where love is a game of chess. (Photo: Carmen Productions)

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Carmen: A Hip Hopera - Carmen: A Hip Hopera was based on the opera Carmen (the 1954 classic Carmen Jones is also based on the opera). The movie starred Beyoncé as an ambitious and attractive woman and Mekhi Phifer as the man she used to get to the top. (Photo: Carmen Productions)

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What's Love Got to Do With It? - What's Love Got to Do With It? tells the story of Ike and Tina Turner, their abusive relationship and her comeback. The movie featured a lot of the music Ike and Tina recorded as well as Tina's own music. (Photo: Touchstone Pictures)

Superfly (1972) - "You're gonna give all this up? Eight track stereo, color TV in every room, and can snort a half a piece of dope everyday? That's the American Dream, n****!” — Carl Lee as Eddie(Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures)

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Superfly - Superfly told the story of a drug dealer trying to make one last score before he gets out of the game. Curtis Mayfield's music helped tell the story and drove the movie. (Photo: Warner Bros Pictures)

The Harder They Come  - In The Harder They Come reggae musician Jimmy Cliff plays Ivanhoe Martin, a singer who turns to selling marijuana. When his partner sells him out to the police, Ivan begins killing the officers that are after him and leading police on a country-wide manhunt. (Photo: International Films)

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The Harder They Come - The Harder They Come is a Jamaican movie that told the story of a singer turned fugitive. The movie featured music by its star, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals and Desmond Dekker and is credited with helping launch reggae music. (Photo: International Films)

Wild Style - Wild Style is another movie set during the rise of hip hop in the 1980s. Telling the story of a graffiti artist, the movie featured breakdancing, deejaying, graffiti and appearances by hip-hop pioneers Busy Bee, Grandmaster Caz and Fab 5 Freddy. (Photo: Rhino Productions)

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Wild Style - Wild Style is another movie set during the rise of hip hop in the 1980s. Telling the story of a graffiti artist, the movie featured breakdancing, deejaying, graffiti and appearances by hip-hop pioneers Busy Bee, Grandmaster Caz and Fab 5 Freddy. (Photo: Rhino Productions)

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Mo’ Better Blues (1990) - Film director Spike Lee and Denzel Washington first worked together in 1990 on Mo’ Better Blues. The movie focused on the life of fictional trumpeter Bleek Gilliam, played by Washington. By the time the film released, Washington and his wife welcomed twins Olivia and Malcolm. At 37 years old, it seemed the actor's life was just beginning.(Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Mo Better Blues (Photo: Universal Pictures) - Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues tells the story of jazz musician Bleek Gilliam (played by Denzel Washington) and his love life and struggles in the music industry. The movie featured music from Terrence Blanchard and Branford Marsalis and even a number from Denzel Washington.

Photo By Universal Pictures)

Bamboozled (2000)   - Lee wrote and directed this satirical film about a modern televised minstrel show, featuring black actors donning blackface makeup, and the violent fall-out from the show's success. The cast includes Damon Wayans, Michael Rapaport and Jada Pinkett Smith.(Photo: New Line Cinema)

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Bamboozled - Spike Lee's satirical take on African-American depiction in entertainment featured several musical numbers. The Roots played a minstrel show type band while Mos Def and Canibus played militant rappers. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

Photo By (Photo: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks)

Ray (2004) - Hollywood took notice of Kerry Washington when she landed the role of Della Bea Robinson, wife of legendary R&B pioneer Ray Charles, in the critically-hailed biopic Ray. Jamie Foxx, who played the film's lead, won an Oscar for Best Actor.(Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Ray - Ray tells the story of the musical journey of Ray Charles, his struggles and triumphs. Jamie Foxx starred in the movie and won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray. Foxx also redid some of Ray Charles' music for the film. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

House Party - Even in one of his first films, House Party, back in 1990, Martin played a wild boy as the always hype, always ready funnyman and DJ Bilal. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

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House Party - House Party featured Kid and Play as two high school students looking for girls and a good time. The two rappers incorporated their raps into several scenes and provided songs for the soundtrack. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

Lady Sings the Blues - This seminal biopic about jazz legend Billie Holiday was nominated for five Oscars in 1973, including a Best Actress nod for Diana Ross. The film, based on Holiday's autobiography and named for one of her most popular songs, spawned a hugely successful soundtrack album as well.(Photo: Courtesy Motown Pictures)

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Lady Sings the Blues - In Lady Sings the Blues, Diana Ross played the legendary and troubled jazz singer Billie Holliday. Billie Dee Williams also starred and Ross, a singer herself, provided the music. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Carmen Jones (1954) - Dorothy Dandridge plants herself at the center of a love triangle that ends in turmoil for all participants.(Photo: Carlyle Productions)

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Carmen Jones - Carmen Jones starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte as a pair of lovers on the run from the police. Inspired by the opera Carmen, the movie went on to inspire the Beyoncé MTV musical Carmen: A Hip Hopera. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Photo By Photo: Carlyle Productions

Carmen Jones (1954) - Dorothy Dandridge plants herself at the center of a love triangle that ends in turmoil for all participants.(Photo: Carlyle Productions)

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Carmen Jones - Carmen Jones starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte as a pair of lovers on the run from the police. Inspired by the opera Carmen, the movie went on to inspire the Beyoncé MTV musical Carmen: A Hip Hopera. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Photo By Photo: Carlyle Productions

Carmen Jones (1954) - Dorothy Dandridge plants herself at the center of a love triangle that ends in turmoil for all participants.(Photo: Carlyle Productions)

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Carmen Jones - Carmen Jones starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte as a pair of lovers on the run from the police. Inspired by the opera Carmen, the movie went on to inspire the Beyoncé MTV musical Carmen: A Hip Hopera. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Photo By Photo: Carlyle Productions

Carmen Jones (1954) - Dorothy Dandridge plants herself at the center of a love triangle that ends in turmoil for all participants.(Photo: Carlyle Productions)

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Carmen Jones - Carmen Jones starred Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte as a pair of lovers on the run from the police. Inspired by the opera Carmen, the movie went on to inspire the Beyoncé MTV musical Carmen: A Hip Hopera. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Photo By Photo: Carlyle Productions