Dance Movies

You Got Served is a 2004 drama film written and directed by Chris Stokes, manager of its stars, recording artist Marques Houston and the members of boy band B2K. The plot concerns a group of dancers, who take part in a street dancing competition. It was released by Columbia Pictures’ Screen Gems division on January 30, 2004, during the Super Bowl XXXVIII weekend and was produced by Marcus Morton and Cassius Weathersby, Billy Pollina. It opened at #1 at the boxoffice during Super Bowl weekend with $16 million USD grossed in its first week.

Title

There has been some attempt to break the titular expression into the mainstream. The expression “you got served” has been used to describe someone or something that has either lost badly or been humiliated (or possibly both).

Soundtrack

You Got Served Soundtrack features mainly music by B2K, but also Marques Houston, and many others. There were some profanities in the soundtrack such as “Streets Is Callin’” but did not receive a PA label. The soundtrack was released on December 23, 2003. Also, there was a release of a music video for B2K’s single “Badaboom” featuring Fabolous and Marques Houston was the guest appearance. The music video contains B2K and Fabolous in a female club while showing the “You Got Served” movie shots.

Several Music found in the film is not listed on the soundtrack, these include: Joe Budden’s (Feat. Big Mike) – Pump It Up (Final Battle), Timbaland & Magoo (Feat. Fat Man Scoop) – Now Drop, Jahalla (Feat. Kia Starr) – What You Don’t Know – Nas – Heaven

Development

The original screen play was called ‘DANCE’. The second rewrite changed the title included the word “Bitch”, as in “you got served, bitch” but this was eventually dropped.

Tryouts of dance crews around Los Angeles were held and the winners were featured in the film. Several dancers were discovered by the choreographer and producers during trips to several competitions around Los Angeles.

B2K still performed songs for the movie in what was said to be their final performance together, although breaking up prior to the film’s release.

Reception

You Got Served opened at the #1 spot, knocking The Butterfly Effect out of that spot. It had generally poor reviews, earning a 17% approval rating rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While many critics enjoyed the dance sequences, they found the rest of the movie to be rather generic.

The movie is also credited with launching the current surge in dance films such as Step Up and How She Move in film and television.

Cast

• Marques Houston – Elgin
• Omari Grandberry – David
• Jarell Houston – Rico
• De’Mario Thornton – Vick
• Dreux Pierre Frederic – Rashann
• Jennifer Freeman – Liyah
• Meagan Good – Beautifull
• Steve Harvey – Mr. Rad
• Christopher Jones – Wade
• Robert Hoffman – Max
• Malcolm David Kelley – Lil’ Saint
• Wade Robson – Himself
• Lil’ Kim – Herself
• Alani Vasquez – Herself
• Michael Taliferro – Emerald