[5][6] In 1999 Queens, New York City, young street criminals Tommy "Buns" Bundy and Sincere ("Sin"), along with associates Mark and Black, murder five people during a violent nightclub robbery.

Way too enraged, Tommy forces Black to strip naked in front of the others, wildly firing warning shots with a handgun into the floor.

Tommy travels to Jamaica and repays Ox by killing Sosa, the son of a local drug lord.

After being arrested over the shooting, Tommy is coerced by a shadowy organization with unclear motives into assassinating a Christian preacher, Rev.

Savior, and Sincere has similarly decided to change his life in a positive direction, telling Tommy of his plans focus on his family and move to Africa.

He interrogates and assaults Kisha, who manages to turn the tables and get a hold of Shameek's gun, shooting him in the face.

In a voiceover, Sincere says he is now in Africa with his family, reflects on recent events and is happy to start a new life.

While filming Belly, the production was mired by frequent clashes between Williams and the producers, budget constraints, and cast members showing up drunk, high, or late.

[12] When Belly was released in the United States in November 1998, some critics condemned it for its demeaning depictions of young Black or African American men.

[15] Although it was generally praised for its highly stylized "noir-like" visual design and cinematography,[16][7] it was criticized for what was seen as a weak plot.

Club described Belly as a "far from a perfect film, but it radiates talent, both from Williams and the musicians he captured at their commercial and artistic peak.

"[10] Khris Davenport of Complex doubled down on the film's legacy and influence, writing that Williams "blazed a trail in black cinema that some filmmakers are only just now starting to understand and build upon.