Q-Tip as Elijah Dixon

Mary J. Blige as Mom

Harold Perrineau as Uncle Cee

Fat Joe as Big Pete

Ian 'Blaze' Kelly as Inmate

Eric McCollum as Thomas Wilson

Denee Rivera as Jolie Martinez

Justin 'DJ' Spaulding as Young Elijah

Javier Nunez as Eugene

Elvis Costello as Public Defender / Teacher

Fisher Stevens as Prosecutor

Snow as Officer McIntyre

Joe Paradise as Chief Berry

Danny Hoch as Harris

Bobbito Garcia as Brown

Hassan Johnson as Jay

Clay Da Raider as KT

Casper Martinez as C.O. Villar

Jamie Hector as Phone Kid

Mateo Gómez as Mr. Gonzalez

Ryan Toby as Teacher's Assistant

Peggy A. Kirkpatrick as Group Home Counselor

N.O.R.E. as Big Ski

Dominique Walters as Young Thomas (as Dominique 'Lil Nique' Walters)

Jeremy Peter Johnson as Laser Cop

John C. Havens as Interviewer

Patrick McDade as Mr. Lloyd (as Pat McDade)

Jamie Tirelli as Mr. Mercer

Montay Walters as Big Boy (as Montay 'Tay Boogie' Walters)

Curtis Carrott as C.O. Steve (as Curt 'Flirt' Carrott)

Michael Sean Tighe as Cop #1

Douglas Crosby as Cop #2 (as Doug Crosby)

Nick Sullivan as Financial Aid Advisor

Fidel Vicioso as Polaroid Guy

Tomas Melly as Hector

Marc Freeman Hamm as Isiah

Michael H. Ingram as Elijah's Judge (as Michael Ingram)

Alton Clinton as Mark

Gloria Irizarry as Mrs. Williamson

Nan Jackson as Ms. Leone

Charles Malik Whitfield as Officer Welles

Donald Jackson as Photographer

Walter Leon as Polo'd Out Student

Ephraim Benton as Rahmel

Vincenzo Amato as Store Owner

Bob Colletti as Supervisor

Cesar de León as Tyrone

Ebony Jerido as Bernadette

Alexis Hyman as Young Girl (as Alexis 'L. Dionne' Hyman)

Donovon Ian H. McKnight as Jess (as Donovon Ian Hunter McKnight)

Raefel J. Mallea as Tiny

Tom McCarthy as Cee's Judge

Bridget McConnell as Shareholder (as Bridget Mary McConnell)

Taina Hernandez as News Reporter

Herbert Spaulding as C.O.

Seth William Meier as Laser Cop #2 (as Seth Meier)

Mister Fischer as C.O. #2 (as Mr. Fischer)

Larry Weiss as Counselor #2

Brian Anthony Wilson as Prison C.O. (as Brian A. Wilson)

Patrick Morrison as Shareholder C.O.

Universal as Lockdown C.O.

Damali Mason as Cafeteria C.O.

Tony Devon as Prison Guard Lawrence

Kash Goins as Mike (Inmate)

Jamie Gonzalez as Correction Officer Villar

Francesco Scorsone as Riot Guard / Court Officer

Dakota Anderson as Inmate (uncredited)

Natalie Paige Bentley as Officer McIntyre's Wife (uncredited)

Todd Birmingham as Inmate (uncredited)

Brandon E. Brooks as Inmate (uncredited)

John Bryant as Inmate on Bus (uncredited)

Kenny Guay as Boy on bus (uncredited)

Marguerite Mastromatto as Attorney (uncredited)

Theron Smith as Foster Child (uncredited)

Luna Lauren Velez as Prison Counselor (uncredited)

John Wooten as Prisoner (uncredited)