Peace, love and positivity. At first glance, those are three random words. For Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, however, they are the most important three words in the English language. The fourth is likely Logic, which is the rap moniker most people know him by. Since stepping onto the music scene over a decade ago, he has become a little more than a rapper though. When he’s not doing music, he’s juggling being a family man, a streamer, and a New York Times Best Seller. With his latest passion project Paradise Records debuting at this year’s Tribeca Festival, you can add filmmaker to the list too.

 

A loving homage to classics such as Clerks and Do The Right Thing, this stylish debut follows a day in the life of a young man named Cooper (Logic). He manages an old record store in Portland, Oregon with his cousin, T Man (Tramayne Hudson). Through several interconnected vignettes, we join the duo as they hang out, make fun of each other and even score some drugs. What starts off as a good day eventually spirals out of control as mounting pressures from the bank, loan sharks and eventually an armed robbery force Cooper to re-examine his priorities and teach him the importance of protecting not only the place he calls home. But his peace of mind too.

 

The film is an undeniable comedy. While it’s built on a barrage of ridiculous scenarios, the silly banter between Cooper and T Man is what grounds it - and what’s bound to get a laugh out of you. Following the formula of every other iconic film duo, Cooper is the straight man. He’s funny but he’s relatable because of his flaws. It’s Tramayne Hudson’s T Man who really lights up the screen though. On top of being the yin to Logic’s yang, he boasts a strong supporting presence reminiscent of Chris Tucker’s Smokey in Friday, with the swagger of Play from House Party, and the deadpan delivery of DJ Jazzy Jeff in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

 

The film’s humor also derives from the seemingly unlimited cameos from friends, family and frequent Logic collaborators. One the funniest comes in the form of Tony Revolori’s Slaydro, who is so high he may actually cause the audience to hallucinate. But the best is easily a whole sequence featuring an iconic stoner duo he owes the entire film to. Celebrity talent exists behind the camera too, as filmmaker Kevin Smith is credited as editor - a move that creatively strengthens and solidifies the film’s homage to the “View Askewniverse.”

Now, some names and faces will be unrecognizable, as will the numerous Easter eggs sprinkled in for longtime Logic fans (“Supermarket", ATM, etc.). Like his discography, there are also some beats not everyone will be able to vibe with. For all those reasons, Paradise Records is a true culmination of Logic’s entire career. Even if you’ve never heard one of his songs, the message isn’t any less accessible. At its core, it’s a story about the beauty of human interaction. That is the only real currency that matters to the surrogate Cooper, after all. On several occasions, even after he’s been informed that he’s in danger of losing the store to the bank, he gives records away to certain customers for free (!) - simply because he feels connected to them. As important as money is, he knows it doesn’t make the world go round anymore. Through him, Logic proves how important it is to bring peace, share love and spread positivity. The sooner we all realize that, the sooner we can reach true paradise.