In Hustle & Flow, DJay hopes that life will someday yield him something better than being a pimp and a drug dealer on the streets of Memphis. He dreams of making it outside the ghetto so he can redeem himself, clear his conscience and become successful by living up to his potential. 

While smart, good-natured and well-groomed, DJay (Terrence Howard) has no legitimate prospects, which is why he resorts to drug dealing and hooking up with people who are equally as broken as he is. Chronically broke and responsible for a pregnant woman named Shug (Taraji Henson), DJay uses a prostitute named Nola (Taryn Manning) to eke out an existence. All Nola ever planned on becoming was a dancer in a topless bar where DJay could make commissions off her. Unfortunately, she stumbles in high heels, and DJay believes she could never make money for him in that kind of work.  

So, here Nola is -- sitting in a car next to DJay and listening to his musings on life while he tries to sell dope and she looks for her next client. One thing for sure, Nola does not want to be out here anymore, giving her money to DJay and risking her health let alone her life. She hates feeling sleazy and grimy  and wants something better for herself. However, she hasn't got a clue what she wants to achieve or how to get there.

The same could be said about DJay, but he loves to believe he's in charge of his own life. He tells Nola what she needs to hear: that she is also in charge of her life. DJay is so good conning her that she will do anything, including turning tricks to benefit him because she's not strong at all. Nola is easily led, and DJay knows it, so he preys upon her with each day starting off the same as before. Both characters are mirrors into the soul of the other.

When a client is not able to pay for drugs, DJay makes a trade for an old keyboard. He has long fancied himself as a successful rapper with the potential to make millions of dollars just like Skinny Black (Ludacris) who hung out with the same people he did as a child yet made it out of the ghetto to become a multi-millionaire complete with gold chains, a mansion and the respect of his former  neighborhood.

DJay admires Skinny Black for all he has accomplished. He also fancies himself a rapper because he's written down lyrics for songs while waiting on Nola and selling drugs. He thinks this could be his ticket out if only he had a demo or CD. After he obtains the electronic keyboard with an internal drum track, DJay realizes it's perfect for working on rap. 

DJay then bumps into an old friend, Key a.k.a. Clyde (Anthony Anderson), who just happens to be a producer with the right equipment to record quality demos and CDs. Clyde  and his wife are religious, and she does not like the idea of Nola and other prostitutes hanging out with DJay and her husband as they record.

As luck would have it, Skinny Black will be in town on July 4th. DJay plans to give Skinny a copy of his demo. He figures that the artist will remember him from his old neighborhood. In order to get close to him, DJay comes up with a plan to deliver drugs to Skinny through the venue owner, played by Isaac Hayes. DJay thinks Skinny, despite sagging record sales and losing his edge, still has clout to make him famous. Will DJay's dreams come true -- or are they simply delusions? 

Although Manning and Anderson give solid supporting performances here, Golden Globe nominee Terrence Howard owns this picture. He makes us root for DJay.

With Hustle & Flow, writer/director Craig Brewer delivers a gritty, thoughtful and engaging film. 

(Released by Paramount Classics and rated "R" for sex and drug content, pervasive language and some violence.)