Barry Michael Cooper was a renowned American writer, producer, and director, best known for his screenplays that formed the “Harlem Trilogy”: “New Jack City” (1991), “Sugar Hill” (1994), and “Above the Rim” (1994). Born and raised in Harlem, New York, Cooper began his career as an investigative journalist, writing for publications like The Village Voice and Spin Magazine, where he was among the first to report on the crack-cocaine epidemic in the mid-1980s. His work in journalism earned him accolades, including Best Magazine Feature awards in 1987. Transitioning to film, his scripts significantly influenced hip-hop culture and cinema, providing a platform for actors like Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, and Tupac Shakur. Cooper also contributed to the Netflix series adaptation of Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” before his death at the age of 66 in Baltimore.
