White Men Can't Jump (2023 soundtrack)

White Men Can't Jump (Original Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2023 film White Men Can't Jump, directed by Calmatic, a remake of the 1992 film of the same name.[1] It was released on May 19, 2023 by Hollywood Records, and featured the original score jointly composed by Marcelo Zarvos and Oak Felder.

White Men Can't Jump (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedMay 19, 2023
Genre
Length37:56
LabelHollywood
Producer
Marcelo Zarvos chronology
Big George Foreman
(2023)
White Men Can't Jump
(2023)
Flamin' Hot
(2023)
Oak Felder chronology
House Party
(2023)
White Men Can't Jump
(2023)

Development

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According to executive producer and screenwriter Kenya Barris, the film was intended to have a soundtrack produced by DJ Drama,[2][3] but was not involved in the film.[4] However, Calmatic felt that the film would feature popular artists in the soundtrack, ranging from Ed Sheeran, SZA, Armani White amongst others;[5] Jack Harlow's 2020 single "What's Poppin" is also featured in the film.[6]

In April 2023, Marcelo Zarvos was recruited to score music for White Men Can't Jump.[7] Having born and grew up in Brazil, Zarvos recalled that he used to play football (a popular sport in the country) in his early days and while working with musicians and orchestras, which revolves around collaborations, he felt sports as an important element in the film and how it inspires human lives. Oak Felder was brought in to co-compose and produce the score and original music, whom he worked in Calmatic's feature directorial debut House Party, released in the same year.[8]

Zarvos recalled on Felder's collaboration, while the latter would focus on pieces that were song-like, the former would work on the score, which has been emotional and choreographed, on which cue should be appropriate for the sequences, adding that the music never stops down. Calmatic used to supervise the cue sheet and share his insight on the score as, according to Felder, "the whole thing plays on his strengths", as he was known for directing music videos and also being a music producer.[8]

Sharing the perspectives on the remake and its original counterpart, which came from the period of 1990s hip hop, admitting that "you got the retro vibe and put it in this film". Balancing the basketball and music culture, hip hop served as the bridge for the cultural influences, where he could borrow back the vibes from that period. While violin and percussion being used for the score, Felder felt the vocals being the primary instrument for the film as it was "the most used instrument" carrying the emotions of the film. He further attributed that at first, the music for basketball games have been evolved the film, but as the film further progresses it revolves around the story, characters and their background.[8]

Track listing

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No.TitleMusicLength
1."Duke Skywalker"Marcelo Zarvos1:16
2."Time Out"Marcelo Zarvos1:36
3."The Big Fight"Marcelo Zarvos2:03
4."Wrap Up"Marcelo Zarvos2:58
5."Garage Conversations – Just a Few Games"Marcelo Zarvos2:10
6."That Won't Work"Oak Felder1:01
7."Got My Mind Right"Oak Felder1:15
8."Little Out of Your Range"Oak Felder1:07
9."Out of Your Range"Marcelo Zarvos1:11
10."Eighty Minus Sixty"Oak Felder0:57
11."Final Game"Oak Felder1:01
12."Tournament Finale"Oak Felder0:56
13."Find Somebody to Make Money"Oak Felder0:46
14."Yoga Instructor"Oak Felder1:04
15."Bringing Up the Past"Marcelo Zarvos0:47
16."Hit This Shot Sitting Down"Marcelo Zarvos0:39
17."Tournament Finale Flashback"Marcelo Zarvos0:57
18."Getting Fired"Marcelo Zarvos2:03
19."Just Need a Plan"Marcelo Zarvos2:42
20."Injured"Marcelo Zarvos2:04
21."Making Up"Marcelo Zarvos1:42
22."Always Be Our Game"Marcelo Zarvos1:58
23."MS"Marcelo Zarvos1:53
24."Gambling on My Husband"Marcelo Zarvos0:47
25."New Private Workouts"Marcelo Zarvos0:43
26."Jeremy Wins"Marcelo Zarvos0:56
27."Stem Cells"Oak Felder1:24
Total length:37:56

Reception

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Andrew Lawrence in his review for The Guardian wrote "Marcelo Zarvos’s score is an unspoiled mix of old school and new."[9] Arun Venugopal of Maxblizz also opined the same and felt that it "provided a fitting backdrop to the story."[10]

References

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  1. ^ "'White Men Can't Jump': Jack Harlow's 'beautiful escape' from music in new version of 1992 hit movie". Yahoo News. May 20, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  2. ^ HipHopDX (September 29, 2022). "DJ Drama To Produce 'White Men Can't Jump' Reboot Soundtrack". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "DJ Drama to produce 'White Men Can't Jump' soundtrack". Revolt. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "'White Men Can't Jump' Reboot Features a Soundtrack By DJ Drama [Exclusive]". Collider. September 29, 2022. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  5. ^ "'White Men Can't Jump' Director Calmatic Tells Us About That Flamethrower". Collider. May 19, 2023. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "Is Jack Harlow A Better Rapper, Actor, Or Basketball Player?". UPROXX. May 22, 2023. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Marcelo Zarvos Scoring Calmatic's 'White Men Can't Jump' Remake". Film Music Reporter. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Vevo (June 2, 2023). Marcelo Zarvos, Oak Felder – White Men Can't Jump (The Big Score) (Motion picture). Hollywood Records. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  9. ^ Lawrence, Andrew (May 18, 2023). "White Men Can't Jump review – comedy remake fumbles the shot". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  10. ^ "White Men Can't Jump Review: A Visually Striking Remake That Misses the Mark". Maxblizz. May 18, 2023. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.