Sanaa Lathan’s Hip-Hop Coming-of-Age Tale “On the Come Up” Premieres This Fall

A hip-hop coming-of-age tale is heading to Paramount+, and we have a first look at the upcoming movie. “On the Come Up,” an adaptation of Angie Thomas’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, is billed as a “love letter to hip-hop” that follows a young girl, Bri (Jamila C. Gray), and her dream to take the battle-rap scene by storm. A 30-second teaser trailer, which premiered during this year’s BET Awards, offers a brief glimpse of the inspiring music story.

To honour the legacy of her late father – an underground hip-hop legend killed by gang violence – Bri tries to pick up where he left off after her first hit goes viral “for all the wrong reasons.” In an effort to give her family a better life, she’ll find herself torn between staying true to who she is and conforming to a “false gangsta role” that the music industry is forcing on her.

“On the Come Up” marks Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut and Thomas’s second book-to-movie adaptation following “The Hate U Give.” The forthcoming project has been added to the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival bill, where it’ll make its world premiere.

Read ahead for everything we know about “On the Come Up,” including the cast and release date.