Comin' Up Short - Shorty (Lench Mob) Documentary Film

[The Predator]

Trailer (out now) -

From being a ruthless gang banger, to protecting Ice Cube's life, Shorty from the controversial rap group Da Lench Mob, reveals untold secrets of N.W.A. and why his group was attacked in a race against time to save his own life.

Featuring:

Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
Durrell 'Tank' Babbs
Frost
Gangxta Ridd
Ice Cube
Jerome "Shorty" Muhammad
LL Cool J
Michael Ruppert
Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan
NWA
Public Enemy
RBX
Squeak Ru
WC
Yolanda 'Yo-Yo' Whittaker

Directed by:
Queen Muhammad Ali & Hakeem Khaaliq

Executive Producers:
Ice Cube
Steven Muhammad-El
Queen Muhammad Ali
Hakeem Khaaliq

Getting high praise -

Ice Cube Discusses New Film On Shorty Of The Lench Mob




A groundbreaking documentary offers an unprecedented look into one of Hip-Hop’s hidden figures and his personal journey.

“Comin’ Up Short,” a film by Queen Muhammad Ali and Hakeem Khaaliq, explores the life of Jerome “Shorty” Muhammad, known for his deep connections with Ice Cube and his transition from a gang leader to a protector in the rap community.

“You’ll never find a dude that’s more loyal. [Shorty] was our conscience in a lot of ways. He would tell us things like how we should be living, the things that we needed to stay away from,” said Ice Cube in an exclusive clip given to AllHipHop.

Shorty’s musical journey hit a zenith when close friend J-Dee, T-Bone, and Ice Cube, founded Da Lench Mob. This rap crew stayed connected to streets of Los Angeles, but was also infused with Black Nationalism. In 1992, Da Lench Mob released Guerillas in tha Mist, a debut album earned platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America in 1992.

The documentary highlights all of Shorty’s accomplishments, musically and otherwise.

It is also distinguished by its focus on Shorty’s narrative through a solitary monologue. In this manner he’s able to discuss his personal views like the covert – seemingly governmental – operations that introduced guns and drugs into African American neighborhoods. Ali and Khaaliq’s decision to spotlight Shorty’s storytelling ability offers viewers a unique and intimate portrayal of a man whose life inspired many of Ice Cube’s lyrics, bridging the gap between fiction and reality.

“Ice Cube’s stories in many songs are the real-life stories of Shorty because Shorty was the real deal,” said Khaaliq, a director and cinematographer

Produced independently by Nation19 and Ice Cube, “Comin’ Up Short” has garnered critical acclaim, receiving awards and praise for its ability to unify former rival gang members at screenings. The documentary’s music, composed by Masaniai Muhammad Ali and Queen Muhammad Ali, further enriches the film’s narrative, capturing the essence of the struggles and triumphs depicted.

“It felt like a mini Million Man March [at the premier] because it was all love in that theater, and the place was packed,” said DJ Chilly Chill, a legendary music producer who has worked with Cube, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, Rick James, Ike Turner, Public Enemy, Lupe Fiasco, Bun B, and many more.

The film recently earned recognition from the British Film Institute (BFI) for its contribution to cinema, underscoring its impact beyond American borders. A special screening in London emphasized the documentary’s role in promoting positive representations of Muslims in media.

“Instead of shooting a hundred different talking head interviews, we decided early on to focus only on Shorty since he is an amazing storyteller,” said Director Queen Muhammad Ali, who has known Shorty since she was very young at Los Angeles Mosque #27. “Ice Cube’s stories in many songs are the real-life stories of Shorty, because Shorty was the real deal,” said director and cinematographer Hakeem Khaaliq.

Shorty’s influence on Da Lench Mob and his guidance on living a better life are evident throughout the documentary. “Comin’ Up Short” is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Freevee, offering audiences a rare glimpse into the complexities of gangster rap’s history and the figures who shaped its legacy.



The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime and Freevee.

[doggfather]

def gonna watch it!

[The Predator]

Director Statement



Growing up in South Central Los Angeles I was exposed to gang culture at an early age. In public elementary school, my classmates and I were taught how to draw and recognize gang graffiti in art class. I grew up near the corner of Florence and Normandy. On April 29th 1992 the world became familiar with my neighborhood when LA erupted after a jury acquitted four LAPD officers in the filmed beating of Rodney King. Besides being a filmmaker, I am a Los Angeles Gang expert, and there are no gang experts except participants and affiliates. This lifestyle although glamorized and vilified in the media is as mysterious to outsiders as an untouched tribe in Africa or the South Pacific.

Around 2001 I met Shorty. He invited me to his home in an area of Los Angeles called the Jungles which is an all Blood Street Gang (red) area made famous in the 2001 film Training Day, starring Denzel Washington. Shorty was a Crip (blue) leader or an OG and a notorious one at that. I thought it was interesting that he had so much respect in the streets that he could live in Blood territory with no fear of anything. During this time Shorty asked me to document and film him uniting Bloods, Crips, Mexican and Samoan Gang leaders for peace. Some years later after I met my partner, Director Queen Muhammad Ali, I would tell her about hanging out with Shorty shooting him and some of the stories he would tell me. Unbeknownst to me, Queen knew of him as Brother Jerome since she was young. She knew nothing about his Gang life and she didn’t know I was speaking of the same person. She said he was the most kind and loving brother she knew growing up. So we knew two diametrically different Shorty’s.



As time passed Shorty was like our big brother and much more than a good friend. Shorty had been talking to Ice Cube about producing a film about his life and his group Da Lench Mob. Some of which was dramatized in the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton. But everybody knows that Ice Cubes stories in his songs and persona were the real experiences of Shorty and others in Da Lench Mob. Shorty’s health started to degrade and despite his numerous almost daily treatments for renal kidney failure, we were able to conduct two interviews with Shorty totaling about 9 hours. Queen organized the interviews into the structure that became the film. Shorty’s testimony in this film could land him back in prison but he wanted to tell his story nonetheless. On many occasions Shorty would call us from the hospital and give us optimistic updated reports about his health and how he was working to get better. I remember while filming the reenactments, Shorty would call us on FaceTime from the hospital bed and laugh at how much the people looked like and acted like what he had described.



While Queen and I were shooting another film project in American Samoa Shorty passed away on Father’s Day June 16th 2019. We were devastated. We returned and helped the family with the funeral. Ice Cube paid for the funeral and spoke about how important Shorty was to him. This film is his last interview and his verified account of what really happened to Ice Cube, Da Lench Mob, and himself.