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Let It Shine (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Let It Shine' is a 2012 American musical television film that premiered on Disney Channel. It features an ensemble cast of Tyler James Williams, Coco Jones, Trevor Jackson and Brandon Mychal Smith. The film follows a shy, talented rapper and musician who pens romantic hip hop verses only to stand idly by as they're delivered to the girl of his dreams by a proxy, his best friend, in a retelling of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play 'Cyrano de Bergerac'. The film was directed by Paul Hoen and written by Eric Daniel and Don D. Scott. The Disney Channel Original Movie premiered on June 15, 2012 in the United States and Canada, and July 20, 2012 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2012/2012_13_Disney_Channels_Worldwide_Kids_Upfront_Announcement.doc BETTER GRAB SOME SUNGLASSES, THE FUTURE AROUND HERE IS BRIGHT], Disney Channel Medianet
Plot
In Atlanta, Georgia, Cyrus DeBarge (Tyler James Williams) is a musically talented choir director who writes rap lyrics under the pseudonym "Truth" because of his father Pastor Jacob's (Courtney B. Vance) disapproval of rap music and his shy demeanor compared to his more outgoing best friend Kris Howard (Trevor Jackson). Cyrus also secretly works as a busboy at a teen club, Off the Street, where the music label of their childhood friend, teenage singing sensation Roxanne "Roxie" Andrews (Coco Jones), is sponsoring a songwriting contest. Roxie chooses Truth's heartfelt song "Don't Run Away" as the winning entry but misidentifies Kris as Truth because the photo Cyrus submitted was of them both. Kris convinces Cyrus to let him take credit for the song because he has feelings for Roxie. As Kris uses Cyrus' verses to get closer to both Roxie's heart and his newfound fame, Cyrus begins to resent his best friend.
Cyrus and Roxie get to know each other and Roxie says she can talk to him better than she can talk to Kris. Cyrus invites Roxie to perform with the choir at his church. Right after their rousing performance, Pastor Jacob humiliates Roxie in front of the congregation by calling out people who are living in "hip-hop-crisy". At the urging of his wife, Gail (Dawnn Lewis), Pastor Jacob goes to the club to apologize to Roxie, where he catches his son working at the club, and learns that Cyrus writes rap lyrics. Although furious at first, Pastor Jacob comes to realize his son's raps carry positive messages and rescinds his initial disapproval.
The conflict between Cyrus and Kris comes to a head when they have a physical altercation at the club. Levi (Alex Dsert), the club owner, convinces the two not to let their friendship die. The two mend their friendship and during a duet with Roxie, Cyrus takes Kris' place on the stage to sing "Me and You", revealing through the lyrics that he was Truth all along. Cyrus apologizes and confesses his true feelings, but Roxie storms from the stage and wants nothing to do with either of them. At a hip hop battle contest, Cyrus calls out the winner, an arrogant rapper named Lord of Da Bling (Brandon Mychal Smith). The two battle for the trophy, which Cyrus wins by revealing to the audience that Bling is a fraud, which he found out by seeing Bling work his day job as a taxi driver. However, his victory didn't change anything with Roxie still upset with him.
Kris eventually tells Roxie that Cyrus is a great person and only pretended he was not Truth for Kris, and they did not try to hurt Roxie: he also says Cyrus is real and that is who she needs to be with. Some time later, Roxie goes to church and hugs Cyrus as they sing "Let it Shine".
Cast
* Tyler James Williams as Cyrus DeBarge/Truth. He is shown to be musically talented, but likes hanging back in Kris's shadow.
* Coco Jones as Roxanne "Roxie" Andrews, a famous singer and Cyrus and Kris' friend since kindergarten.
* Trevor Jackson as Kris McDuffy, Cyrus' best friend. He is mistaken for Truth.
* Brandon Mychal Smith as Lord of da Bling, the antagonist of the story who humiliates Cyrus at the club.
* Dawnn Lewis as Gail DeBarge, Cyrus' mother who openly encourages her son to follow his dreams.
* Alex Dsert as Levi, club owner
* Nicole Sullivan as Lyla, Roxanne's manager and main stylist.
* Courtney B. Vance as Pastor Jacob DeBarge, Cyrus' father who, throughout most of the movie, believes that rap and hip-hop should be banned from the community. At the end of the movie, after reading Cyrus' lyrics, he accepts his son's love of rap/hip-hop and supports him.
* Algee Smith as Da Boss, another rapper whom Lord of da Bling defeats in order to make it to the Rap Grand Slam.
* Shay Roundtree as Rap Battle Host.
* Hans Daniels as Phantom, a rapper who is defeated in a rap battle by Revelation.
* Courtney Gray as Revelation, a talented rapper who is defeated by the Lord of da Bling in a rap battle.
Production
The movie's soundtrack features 13 original songs by acclaimed music producers/songwriters/performers Rock Mafia, Toby Gad, David Banner, Andy Dodd, In-Q, Adam Hicks, Lindy Robbins, Dapo Torimiro, Thomas Sturges, Jon Vella and Adam Watts.
The movie was shot in Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia. The DVD was released on August 7, 2012.
Reception
The premiere of 'Let It Shine' garnered 5.7 million viewers, the high cable rating of the day, and obtained an adult 1849 rating of 0.9, second only to 'Family Guy'. It was the most watched Disney Channel Original Movie to that point of 2012 and was the #1 movie of the year across kids 611, tweens and teens. The 'Rap Battle Edition', which aired on June 30, was watched by 4.54 million people.
Nominations
Broadcast
The movie aired worldwide on Disney Channel. It premiered on June 15, 2012 in United States and Canada, on July 20, 2012 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, on August 3, 2012 in India, and on September 28, 2012 in Australia and New Zealand. In Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines it previewed on October 19, 2012 and premiered on November 10, 2012. In the United States, the episode aired following a new episode of Good Luck Charlie, and was itself followed by the series premiere of Gravity Falls.
Cancelled sequel
In a September 2020 video posted to YouTube, Coco Jones revealed a sequel film had been written but was eventually scrapped.
See also
*'The Fighting Temptations', 2003 film starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonc Knowles
*'Joyful Noise', 2012 film starring Queen Latifah
*'Rags', a similar movie released in May 28, 2012 by Nickelodeon.
References
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