During a panel at ComplexCon on Sunday (Nov. 4), famed director/filmmaker Hype Williams shared a surprising tidbit on his film Belly. The cinematic excursion was released in 1998 and celebrated its 20 year anniversary over the weekend. Starring DMX as Tommy “Buns” Bundy and Nas as Sincere, the plot follows the catastrophic web of drugs and money that spans from New York City to Jamaica.
While discussing the movie alongside co-stars T-Boz and Nas, Williams said JAY-Z was considered for one of the starring roles. If DMX were unable to play the troubled Tommy, Williams revealed JAY-Z would’ve been a viable option.
“Back in time remember Hov didn’t pop yet. He wasn’t JAY Z, he was Jay Z, and if you know him, Hov is a real hustler,” Williams said. “He comes from a real place. We were working with Def Jam and it was logical for it to be him.” Still, JAY-Z’s name was attached to Belly when two songs were featured on its soundtrack. Alongside Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek on “Crew Love” and “Sauce Money’s “Pre-Game,” the entertainment mogul’s moniker still found its way to the project’s final creation.
#ComplexCon: How #Belly Changed Hip Hop and Hollywood with @nas @TheRealTBOZ @HypeWilliams @thisisdscott @ComplexCon pic.twitter.com/47Q8VZkUWm
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 5, 2018
~@HypeWilliams announces at @ComplexCon that they’re working with @Lionsgate to have #Belly re-released on @IMAX in 2019. Use the hashtag #BellyNow if you want to see it! #ComplexCon pic.twitter.com/X9cq2IEyTP
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 5, 2018
~@HypeWilliams says if @DMX had not played the lead role in #Belly, it was going to be @S_C_ 😳 #ComplexCon #BellyNow @ComplexCon pic.twitter.com/MS8qSLkxEn
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 5, 2018
Wonderful shoutout for amazing Costume Designer @juneAmbrose by @HypeWilliams, who says at @ComplexCon that he wouldn’t have made #Belly without her. #BellyNow #ComplexCon pic.twitter.com/tDAVzVDdiW
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 5, 2018
To accompany the #Belly theatrical re-release in 2019, @HypeWilliams announces that there will be a re-release of the soundtrack, to include new songs by new artists. Use #BellyNow to tell @Lionsgate that you want to see and hear this! @ComplexCon #ComplexCon pic.twitter.com/lAKpwesCj1
— April (@ReignOfApril) November 5, 2018
Def Jam also tweeted a thread of facts on Twitter to commemorate the movie’s anniversary.
Twenty years ago today, Belly hit theaters.
The instant classic stars DMX, Nas, Method Man and more. It was directed by the legendary Hype Williams and based on an original story written by Nas. pic.twitter.com/aeaK5csPFl
— Def Jam Recordings (@defjam) November 4, 2018
The houses and vehicles used in Belly all belonged to the artists in real life. The “white house” in the film belonged to DMX’s character Buns, and was actually the rapper’s crib in Florida. pic.twitter.com/Rzk8zzZel9
— Def Jam Recordings (@defjam) November 4, 2018
There was no prop weed on the set of Belly, so in every scene where characters can be seen smoking weed, it was the real deal. pic.twitter.com/5TnXzzL2zh
— Def Jam Recordings (@defjam) November 4, 2018
The soundtrack was also a hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard 200. It featured original music from DMX, Nas, Jay Z, Wu-Tang Clan, and more. Listen here: https://t.co/7d5nN2pagc pic.twitter.com/AmOY0z7CqH
— Def Jam Recordings (@defjam) November 4, 2018
Belly starred Method Man, Taral Hicks, Louie Rankin, Ghostface Killah, AZ and more. It was co-written by Nas and Williams.