You probably remember 2017 for a lot of things, but in the world of niche, high-concept musical dramas, Love Beats Rhymes was doing something most people didn't quite catch at first. It’s a movie that tries to bridge the massive gap between the raw, rhythmic aggression of battle rap and the flowery, structured world of slam poetry. Honestly, it’s a weird mix. On paper, it sounds like a disaster, but the Love Beats Rhymes cast is exactly why the film didn't just disappear into the bargain bin of streaming history.
Azealia Banks. Love her or hate her—and most people have a very strong opinion one way or the other—she was the engine.
She plays Coco, a struggling rapper from Brooklyn who thinks she’s got it all figured out until she hits a wall in a classroom. It’s funny because Coco isn't just a character; she feels like an extension of the real-world tension Banks has navigated her entire career. The casting was brilliant, or maybe just incredibly lucky.
The Raw Energy of the Love Beats Rhymes Cast
Director RZA, the mastermind behind Wu-Tang Clan, knew exactly what he was doing when he assembled this group. He didn't just want actors who could recite lines. He needed people who understood the cadence of the street and the discipline of the stage.
Jill Scott plays Professor Dixon. If you’ve ever seen Scott perform live or listened to her albums, you know she exudes this "queen-mother" energy that is both terrifying and deeply nurturing. In the film, she's the one who essentially tells Coco that her bars are hollow. It’s a brutal scene. Scott brings a level of gravitas that forces the rest of the Love Beats Rhymes cast to level up. She doesn't just act like a teacher; she acts like a gatekeeper to a higher level of art.
Then you have Lucien Laviscount. Long before he was charming everyone in Emily in Paris, he was Derek in this film. He’s the love interest, sure, but he serves as the bridge. He's the one who shows Coco that poetry isn't just for people who like tea and quiet rooms. Their chemistry is what keeps the middle of the movie from dragging, especially when the script gets a bit heavy-handed with the "art is life" metaphors.
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Breakout Performances and Surprising Cameos
It's easy to overlook Hana Mae Lee. You might know her as the quiet, slightly terrifying girl from Pitch Perfect. Here, she’s part of the poetry circle, and she brings a weird, jittery energy that keeps the scenes in the classroom feeling authentic. It feels like a real New York workshop, not a Hollywood set.
Common shows up too.
Having Common in a movie about the intersection of rap and poetry is like having Michael Jordan show up at a high school basketball camp. He plays Coltrane, and while his role isn't the largest, his presence validates the whole project. You can't make a movie about the "sanctity of the word" without a guy who literally built a career on that exact concept.
The supporting players matter just as much.
- John David Williams brings a grit to the battle rap scenes.
- Lorraine Toussaint offers a grounded, soulful performance as Coco’s mother.
- Method Man (Clifford Smith) makes an appearance, because you can't have a RZA film without at least one Wu-Tang brother stopping by.
Why the Casting Choices Were Risky
Banks was a gamble. At the time of filming, she was already a magnet for controversy. RZA took a lot of heat for sticking by her, but watching the film now, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in that role. She has a natural, defensive prickliness that fits Coco perfectly. When Coco gets humiliated in front of her class, that look of genuine, wounded pride on Banks’ face feels real. It probably was.
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The film handles the "Rap vs. Poetry" debate with a lot of nuance, mostly because the actors actually know how to perform. There’s nothing worse than a movie about music where the lead clearly can't keep a beat. In Love Beats Rhymes, when the battle scenes happen, they feel dangerous. When the poetry happens, it feels vulnerable.
Most people don't realize that the script went through several iterations. It was originally titled Coco, then Life Beats Rhymes, before finally landing on the current title. This shift reflects the internal struggle of the characters—trying to find the rhythm in the chaos of their personal lives.
The Legacy of the Performances
If you look at where the Love Beats Rhymes cast is now, it’s a fascinating snapshot of 2017 talent. Lucien Laviscount is a global heartthrob. Jill Scott is a certified legend. Azealia Banks remains one of the most enigmatic and discussed figures in music, even if her film career didn't explode after this.
The movie didn't break box office records. It didn't win ten Oscars. But it did something more difficult: it captured a specific subculture without making it look like a caricature.
A lot of that comes down to the table reads. RZA reportedly had the cast spend significant time just talking about their own experiences with words and rejection. He wanted the dialogue to feel lived-in. You can hear it in the way the characters interrupt each other. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s Brooklyn.
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Expert Take: The Intersection of Sound and Screen
From a technical standpoint, the casting of musicians (Scott, Banks, Common, Method Man) allowed the film to use diegetic sound in a way most dramas can't. The music isn't just a soundtrack; it’s a character. When Coco is writing, we aren't just seeing her pen move; we are watching a musician process her environment.
Critics at the time, like those at The New York Times, noted that while the plot might be predictable—the classic "student learns from teacher" trope—the performances elevated the material. It’s a "performance-first" movie. If you stripped away the cast and replaced them with standard "actor-rappers," the whole thing would have collapsed under the weight of its own earnestness.
How to Revisit the Film Today
If you’re going back to watch it now, pay attention to the silence. In the scenes between Banks and Scott, the power dynamic shifts not through the words, but through the pauses. That’s the mark of a well-directed cast.
For those looking to dive deeper into the world the Love Beats Rhymes cast created, start by looking into the actual poetry coaches used for the film. They didn't just wing it. They brought in real-world slam poets to ensure the cadence was correct. This attention to detail is why the film still gets recommended in hip-hop circles, despite being nearly a decade old.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch for the nuance: Re-watch the classroom scenes specifically to see Jill Scott’s facial expressions while the students perform; it’s a masterclass in "acting without speaking."
- Explore the soundtrack: Check out the original pieces performed in the film. Unlike many musical movies, these weren't just "filler" tracks; they were written to reflect the character arcs of Coco and Derek.
- Compare the styles: Look at the contrast between the battle rap scenes at the beginning and the final slam poetry performance. Notice how the cast changes their physical posture and breathing—it's a subtle shift that shows the character's growth from defensive to open.
- Research the director's cut: Look for interviews where RZA discusses the casting process, particularly his decision to cast Azealia Banks despite the industry pushback at the time. It provides a lot of context for the raw energy seen on screen.