I covered 50 Cent and Yelena Polovic’s new film, Moses the Black. Here are some candid, on-set interviews.More on our site, captured below.

On Set With JB “Bobby Hill”

One of the most impactful conversations I had was with JB “Bobby Hill,” a West Side Chicago native from the Austin neighborhood.

“Real dangerous,” he said plainly, without romanticizing it.

Bobby Hill plays G-Man, a character embedded deeply in the street-level reality of the film. But his involvement went far beyond acting.

He explained that the director brought him on as a key consultant, helping ground the story in authentic Chicago experience.

“A lot of the scenes, a lot of the raps you hear — that’s me,” he said.

He shared that he wrote the rap featured in the film, including verses later recorded by Quavo, as well as material tied to the character “23.”

“That was written in my own home, on my own time, about a year and a half ago,” he said.

While major artists recorded independently, he was quick to center the director’s vision.

“This is her brilliant project — her ideas,” he said. “I just helped enhance them and give it a Chicago feel.”

From Rap Dreams to Film Sets

Film wasn’t always part of Bobby Hill’s plan.

“I just wanted to be a rapper,” he said. “When 50 Cent came out, that’s when I started writing lyrics. I been writing since third grade.”

His journey, however, wasn’t linear.

“I was locked up for ten years,” he shared. “I missed my twenties. I came home at 31. I’m 34 now.”

Since returning home, he’s been moving with purpose.

“In these four years, I’ve done a lot,” he said. “I finally got the opportunity to chase my visions — and it’s panning out.”

Speaking With the Visionary: Yelena Popovic

The third person I had the honor of speaking with was the woman behind the vision of the film itself — Yelena Popovic.

Gracious, beautiful, and deeply intentional, Yelena walked me through the spiritual origins of the story and the historical figure at its center: Saint Moses the Black.

She explained that Moses the Black was a fourth-century figure — once a gang leader, a murderer, a man steeped in violence — who fled into the desert seeking a monastic life. He wrestled with sin, struggled toward virtue, and ultimately became one of the Church’s most powerful witnesses to repentance and grace.

What struck me most was the parallel.

So many Black people in Chicago — especially those navigating street life — carry that same character arc. The fall. The reckoning. The transformation.

Yelena spoke about the spiritual conviction behind the story — about Blackness, faith, and lineage — and why Chicago was the right modern setting for it. The conversation felt less like an interview and more like confirmation that this film wasn’t accidental. It was necessary.

It was a true honor to sit with her.

A Moment With 50 Cent and Omar Epps

Before leaving, I had the opportunity to personally hand 50 Cent a copy of DrippMag.

He took the magazine and immediately rolled it into a tight cylinder with a firm grip — deliberate, instinctive, unforgettable. To this day, he’s the only person I’ve ever handed my magazine to who did that.

He posed briefly for a photo with the magazine alongside Omar Epps, and as I tried to grab one more quick picture before heading out, Omar joked, “You think he gonna do that?”

They burst into laughter.

I was a little embarrassed — but honestly? I knew one thing for sure.

He’ll never forget me.

Why This Coverage Matters

Shortly after our visit, industry outlet Deadline announced that Moses the Black would receive a nationwide theatrical release on January 30, confirming what we witnessed firsthand: this film is moving with real momentum.

For DrippMag, this wasn’t just about access. It was about documentation.

We exist to archive Black stories that can’t be erased — in print, in voice, and in memory.

“You getting the realest out of Chicago,” Bobby Hill told us.

That’s the mission.

The Drive Back

I was nervous for good reason.

On the way back, I got pulled over by the police.

Why?

The car that my friend let me borrow didn’t have any tags.

And if it was deeper, if it was darker, and I was deeper in Illinois, that could have been my life — my neck — my safety.

God was truly on my side.

Moses the Black.

— DrippMag, on the ground.