In the arsenal of Black culture are movies many within the community can pull from as classic unified entertainment. One of those films is the 1999 release of “The Best Man.” The movie is mainly centered around the long-lasting friendship of four chosen brothers and the nuanced complexity and beauty between them.
As standard with most feature films, a soundtrack and title track communicate the movie’s themes through music. R&B artists Ginuwine, R.L., Tyrese, and Case came together to produce the song “The Best Man I Can Be.” In it, they sing about the support of having brothers, whether by choice or blood.
The Coogler Brothers — Ryan, Noah, and Keenan — bring all these concepts together as they make their mark on the industry.
Many are pretty familiar with the work of Ryan Coogler. He debuted in 2013 with his first feature-length film, “Fruitvale Station.” He would go on to write and co-create Marvel’s hit films “Black Panther” and the sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Ryan also received producing credit for “Judas and The Black Messiah” and “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” This creative work would land him four Black Reel Awards, four NAACP Image Awards, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
AfroTech previously reported that Ryan had earned an estimated net worth of $25 million, which could expand as he continues forward in his career.
And although Ryan credits his wife, Zinzi Evans, for much of his success, he has paid it forward and been instrumental in the careers of his younger brothers.
Ryan is a part of the brains behind the highly anticipated third installment of the “Creed” series, starring Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors. However, the Coogler Brothers all played a part in “Creed III,” making this movie moment a family affair.
Keenan Coogler
According to Turner Classic Movies, Keenan had an acting role in “Fruitvale Station” and worked on the film crew for “Black Panther” and “Creed.”
His latest work includes being a co-writer for “Creed III.” In an interview with Deadline, he noted that he had some significant creative autonomy with this film.
“I actually felt I had a little bit more juice in the room. So getting to challenge him [Ryan] creatively was like really exciting. It means a lot to be able to bring an idea to him, and he has to hear me out this time,” Keenan said.
Noah Coogler
Noah is the middle child of the Coogler Brothers and has worked his lane as a rapper, formerly under the stage name White Dave.
“Coming up, a lot of people used to try to discredit my blackness and discredit my ‘down-ness’ because they said I talked ‘white.’ And it used to get under my skin a lot when I was younger. [Ryan] was like, ‘Yeah, but you should use something that somebody used to use against you; turn it into something valuable,” Noah said, according to The Root.
Now known as OG DAYV, Noah has a song on the “Creed III” soundtrack, collaborating with Dreamville artists Omen and Aril Lennox.
