Rap World

In 2009, two friends — Matt and Casey — working at a movie theater in suburban Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, plan to record a rap album in one night and decide to make a home movie documenting the process, directed by their friend Ben. After leaving work, the group stops to order food from a McDonald’s drive-through. Casey pranks Matt by asking him to order “mystic sauce” for a fourth friend, Jason, much to the ire of an embarrassed Matt.

The trio then goes to Casey’s mother’s house to use as a studio while she is out of town for cosmetic ear surgery. Matt says he did not expect Jason to be present at the recording session and tells him he doesn’t want him involved with the album. During a subsequent preparation session, Jason plays an instrumental track he produced, which Casey and Matt approve of. Matt apologizes to Jason and invites him to join the project, forming a rap group known as the Coolbaugh Crew.

Casey retrieves a pistol from his mother’s room and the group uses it as a prop for promotional images. They put off the recording session and procrastinate by smoking marijuana. Jason records a video message for Kiera, a woman he is attempting to court.

After technical difficulties hamper the Coolbaugh Crew’s first attempt to record, they visit Casey’s cousin, Serj, in search of more marijuana. Serj’s mother yells at him for inviting friends over instead of taking time to care for his grandmother. The trio leaves and drives Matt’s sister home from work.

The group makes minimal progress on a second recording attempt before going to a grocery store to buy snacks. From there, they decide to attend a local house party where Kiera is present. Jason offers Kiera a ring while asking to date her; Kiera confuses this for a marriage proposal and laughs at him. Matt, who had told his ex-wife he couldn’t watch their kids due to his recording obligations, is confronted by his ex-wife’s sister for being at the party instead. The party devolves into a verbal fight between several attendees, and Jason breaks off his courtship of Kiera.

Back at home, Jason attempts to boost the spirits of a dejected Matt and Casey. Kelsey, Matt’s ex-wife, arrives to confront him about his party-going. After arguing, they try to have sex, but Matt is unable to stimulate an erection. Hours later, the group begins recording and eventually finishes the album in the early morning hours of the next day.

Casey suggests recording the sound of a gunshot to be included on the album. The group goes out into the woods to record it, where Jason accidentally shoots Matt in the leg. Although Matt is in good spirits after being shot, he dies from the bullet wound he sustained in his femoral artery. At the funeral, Matt’s sister begins to argue with his ex-wife during her eulogy and his friends provide awkward tributes to him. The film ends with a sample of the album set to a montage of home movie footage, as well as text explaining what happened to the friends and their families after the events of the film.

Last Updated: August 20, 2025 at 12:59