Steven Harold Carr (born April 7, 1965) is an American
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
director,
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
director, and
film producer from Brooklyn, New York. After studying fine arts on a full scholarship to Manhattan’s
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.
History
This school was started by Silas ...
, Carr founded design firm The Drawing Board with
Cey Adam to create iconic album artwork for
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The l ...
artists such as
Beastie Boys
The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
,
Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
,
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip ho ...
and more. Asked to take his vision to film, Carr created groundbreaking videos for influential hip-hop artists from
Slick Rick
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence as part of Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. His songs " The Show" and ...
to
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
, and was signed to Quentin Tarantino's
A Band Apart
A Band Apart Films LLC was an American independent film production company founded by Quentin Tarantino, Michael Bodnarchek, and Lawrence Bender in 1991, before its liquidation in 2006. Its name is a play on the French New Wave classic film, '' B ...
Music Video production company in Los Angeles, CA.
Carr made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy ''
Next Friday'' in 2000. He subsequently directed many box office hits in the 2000s including ''
Dr. Dolittle 2'', ''
Daddy Day Care
''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'', and ''
Paul Blart: Mall Cop'', and is currently working on an unnamed
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
film project.
Career
Shortly after graduating from SVA, Carr convinced
Russell Simmons
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. He has p ...
to let him design all the album covers at
Def Jam Records. Carr began directing music videos including
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
's "
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)."
After having directed a number of music videos,
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
hired Carr to direct the sequel to his hit film ''
Friday
Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO 8601-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth ...
''. The film, the R-rated comedy ''
Next Friday'', was Carr's first feature film. He subsequently directed the films ''
Dr. Dolittle 2'', ''
Daddy Day Care
''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'', ''
Are We Done Yet?
''Are We Done Yet?'' is a 2007 American family comedy film directed by Steve Carr and starring Ice Cube. The film is the second installment in the ''Are We There Yet?'' franchise, and the sequel to the 2005 movie of the same name. The plot of ...
'', ''
Rebound'', and ''
Paul Blart: Mall Cop''.
He also directed a segment in ''
Movie 43
''Movie 43'' is a 2013 American anthology comedy film conceived by producer Charles B. Wessler. Featuring fourteen different storylines, each by a different director, including Elizabeth Banks, Steven Brill, Steve Carr, Rusty Cundieff, James ...
'' and executive produced the 2006 TV Movie ''
Santa Baby'' starring
Jenny McCarthy, its sequel ''
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe'', and was at one time attached to direct ''
National Security
National security, or national defence (national defense in American English), is the security and Defence (military), defence of a sovereign state, including its Citizenship, citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of ...
'' starring
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on '' Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor and comedian. Lawrence began his career doing comedy shows, including in '' The Improv''. After his first acting role in t ...
and
Steve Zahn
Steven James Zahn ( ; born November 13, 1967) is an American actor.
In film, Zahn is best known for his lead roles in '' That Thing You Do!'' (1996), '' Happy, Texas'' (1999), '' Joy Ride'' (2001), ''National Security'' (2003), '' A Perfect Geta ...
, and an earlier film adaptation of ''
Iron Fist''.
Filmography
References
External links
Official website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Steve
English-language film directors
Film producers from New York City
Living people
American music video directors
American comedy film directors
Place of birth missing (living people)
1965 births