Combining an interesting narrative structure with a realistic view of life in the ghetto and a love of hip hop, THE BEAT is the debut feature from Brendan Sonnier, who was among the youngest directors to have a film screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Flip is a young man in LA who dreams of becoming a rap star, but his aspirations hit a massive hurdle when his partner and brother are murdered. His grieving father presents Flip with an ultimatum: either get a regular, steady job, or get kicked out of the house. From that point, the film presents two parallel, interwoven stories; one where Flip does as his father tells him and becomes a beat cop in his tough neighborhood, and another where he lives on the streets day-to-day, still pursuing a career as a musician. THE BEAT presents two tales in one about the challenge of survival for urban youth.