Synopsis
Presented as a trailer for a nonexistent crime film, the video follows aspiring rapper Tariq as he tries to raise money for a demo that could lead to a meeting with RZA. His friend True points him toward drug dealing, drawing him into a dangerous underworld populated by hustlers, crooked cops, dealers, and jailhouse inmates. The fast-moving medley compresses the album's larger story into a grim, darkly comic tale of ambition, betrayal, and violence.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video is an approximately 10-minute preview and medley rather than a conventional single-video presentation.
- Prince Paul originally conceived *A Prince Among Thieves* as a feature film, but the movie was never made. The album became the finished version of that cinematic concept.
- Breeze Brewin plays Tariq, while Big Sha plays his friend True. Both were underground MCs rather than established mainstream actors.
- Big Daddy Kane appears as the smooth-talking pimp Count Mackula, Everlast plays the crooked Officer O'Malley Bitchkowski, and Kool Keith portrays the eccentric arms dealer Crazy Lou.
- Xzibit and Sadat X appear as convicts. Chubb Rock plays gang boss Mr. Large, while De La Soul and Chris Rock contribute to the project's memorable comic supporting cast.
- Breeze Brewin recalled that filming took place in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and involved him running through the streets in his underwear.
- "More Than U Know," featuring De La Soul, was the album's sole single, while the extended trailer-style video served as its main visual introduction.
- The album's narrative format was part of Prince Paul's attempt to make a "movie on wax," combining rap performances, dialogue, skits, and recurring characters into one continuous story.