Film

In the movie One Night Stay, Marcus (Stephen Bishop) seemingly has it all — money, a mansion, a beautiful wife — until a one-night stand with Jessica (Iyana Halley) goes horribly awry. Instead of leaving Marcus’ palatial mansion, obsessive Jessica finds herself a place to hide, making it her residence. Marcus and Milan (LeToya Luckett) go about their life with no idea they have an unwelcome houseguest living with them.

Developed by Jenna Frank and Zach Hunter under the Beautiful Orchid Media label, One Night Stay was written by Curtis Cardwell. The film was directed by Rick S. Mordecon and premiered on BET+ on January 4th, 2024. 

The Source had the opportunity to chat with the cast about Hip Hop 50.

Hip hop just celebrated its 50th anniversary. What was the moment that you guys fell in love with Hip-Hop?

Stephen Bishop: I fell in love with Hip-Hop, listening to Sugarhill Gang. That’s when I fell in love. “Rapper’s Delight.” I listened to it, it had to be 40, 50 times back to back to back. It was on an album, and I sat in front of the record player and kept putting it back, kept putting it back. Trying to learn the words, and I’m still in love with Hip-Hop. As you can see, I’m wearing a Redman shirt. I listen to Hip-Hop 95% of the time when I’m listening to music.

This is The Source magazine, right? Little known fact. I was Unsigned Hype in January of 2000. In the Source Magazine. So I am a Hip-Hop kid. I am a Hip-Hop head. Hip-Hop has been such a beautiful theme, background music through my life. No matter what I’m doing, it’s always been there. Look what it’s done to the world. Sugarhill Gang is what made me fall in love with Hip-Hop.

Robert Riley: “I want to rock right now, I’m Rob Base and came to get down. I’m not internationally known, but I’m known to rock a microphone. ‘Cause I get stupid, I mean outrageous. Stay away from me if you’re contagious. No, I’m not a loser, to be an MC is what I choose-a.” Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock “It Takes Two.” 

Iyana Halley: For me, my parents, especially my dad loved Hip-Hop growing up. I remember being a kid, LL Cool J and all these people would be playing on the TV. I’m singing these songs, I probably had no business singing at all. It’s stemmed from my parents. Even to this day, I’m obsessed with Nicki Minaj, and those types of — especially female rappers is my favorite. I love Hip-Hop.

Essence Atkins: For me, I was probably 18 or 19 and it was “Burn Hollywood Burn. I smell a riot going on, first your guilty now they’re gone yeah. I’ll check out a movie, but it’ll take a Black one to move me.” Public Enemy.

Stephen Bishop: It’s amazing man. I just thought had another thought. Sugarhill Gang made me fall in love with it, but I have to give credit to Nas for inspiring me to become a writer and really put my poetry, which I was already writing to music. He showed me that it wasn’t — Nas was different. There was a lot of rappers, but Nas was a poet. His writing and his voice was another instrument in the music. If you took the music away, there was still a rhythm to his voice and to his writing. Sugarhill Gang made me fall in love, Nas made me become obsessed with the art form of it.

What were you in The Source for? For Unsigned Hype?
Stephen Bishop: Riggs Morales was there at the time, and Carlito. They got one of my demos and it was more of a spotlight, a feature of an up and coming artist who was unsigned at the time. Look out for this, it was the one with DMX on the cover. January 2000.

The post Essence Atkins Raps Public Enemy Bars When Asked About Hip-Hop 50 first appeared on The Source.

The post Essence Atkins Raps Public Enemy Bars When Asked About Hip-Hop 50 appeared first on The Source.