Al Nuke / Biography

For Curtis Franklin, life has always been full of excitement. Whether it was a tumultuous childhood, growing up on the streets of Detroit, or launching a successful rap & film career, Franklin's accomplishments have proven that tenacity and talent are the key ingredients to achieving your dreams.In 1998, after years of recording, Franklin took a much-needed hiatus from performing and searched for other outlets to challenge him creatively. He turned his attention to local television. There he hosted the long running cable show, Video Vibes and wrote and directed several commercials and comedy skits.He also tried his hand at acting and was cast in several high profile independent films including MVP (2004 Sundance Official Selection) and Gangstresses Part II the follow-up to the acclaimed Gangstresses then came a role that he'd been searching for: an opportunity to co-direct and star in Street Life.Street Life, a documentary about the reality of American ghettos, featured Missy Elliott, Method Man, Ludacris, and many others. The film was heralded as a "must see" by BET and was distributed by Xenon Pictures. The success of Street Life inspired Franklin to pen the screenplay for his next project.In the winter of 2004 the multifaceted Franklin began writing the screenplay for 17000 Block. The script presents an original voice based on the rawness of his life experiences. It explores the gritty, ruthless underworld of Detroit and attempts to provide insight. A year later the film began production with Franklin credited as writer, director and actor.The satisfaction of completing his first narrative feature film has fueled Franklin's muse. In 2005, he formed Bigg Bizz Entertainment, an entertainment company dedicated to nurturing artists in various mediums. As CEO of Bigg Bizz Ent, Franklin has created for himself an outlet to express all facets of his artistic abilities.