Larry Clark started as a photographer and his book of photos Tulsa (1971) has been said to inspire Scorsese when he shot Taxi Driver and Coppola's Rumble Fish.

His first film Kids, while disturbing, showed Clark's eagerness for dark realism when telling stories about teenagers in film.

Wassup Rockers is Clark's fifth feature film. Keeping the same intimacy as Kids, Wassup Rockers shows a lot more optimistic Clark as he follows punk rock stakeboarders from South Central Los Angeles on a day of skateboarding and mayhem.