STEVEN RIFKIND / MUSIC MOGUL

When the folks at Miramax wanted to explore the growing world of hip-hop-rooted film, they scored a deal through their Dimension wing with Loud Films, the new division of Loud Records. The label is the home of the Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Big Punisher and other leaders of the rap world. Loud partner Steven Rifkind, 37, is set to unleash that stable onto the big screen.

CULT OF YOUTH: “We just want to go where the teens are. Those are the movies we want to make.”

VISIONARIES: “I don’t know if [the studios] even see the value of the hip-hop market, but I think they know that they have to get into it. And the Dimension and Miramax people are smart enough to say, ‘Hey, we may not know anything about it, but let’s get the best people to be in business with.’ ”

ON THE BOARDS: “Our first movie will star [rapper] Jay-Z. Not titled yet and don’t have a director, but the writers are Damon Dash and Jay-Z. The story is amazing, about a bunch of friends growing up in Harlem and seeing what directions they go in.”

ALL COMERS: “The more competition the better for everybody. Just like hip-hop--the more success the better for everyone. If [Def Jam Records heads] Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen can sell their company for $100 million, and Puff Daddy is worth so much, that gives us something to look forward to.”

FUNNY BUSINESS: “There’s the whole perception that because it’s urban it has to be a gangster story. But look what Reggie Hudlin did with the ‘House Party’ movies, what Brett Ratner did with ‘Rush Hour,’ Ice Cube with ‘Friday.’ It’s not all gangster.”

NEXT IN LINE: “We have a director we work with who I think can be the next Brett Ratner [moving from music videos to movies]. He’s Gregory Dark. He did one of our videos, two for OutKast, one for Ice Cube. He’s a genius, just has vision.”

GROWTH POTENTIAL: “Budgets will get bigger for urban movies, but you have to know your market. The Jay-Z project will be $3 million to $5 million.”

MASS MEDIA: “As the market gets established, there can be a lot more cross-promotion. Prince, I don’t think he was the first, but what he did with ‘Purple Rain’ as a movie and album--that’s where I see it going.”

WORD ON THE STREET: “The fears theater operators have about urban movies, it’s the same as with record stores--you’ve got to be sensitive to them. The great thing about our company is we have great street marketing where we can go create the hype and buzz.”