before black dynamite and bushido brown

Alright, so if you don’t already know (or don’t already have your own bootleg copy), Black Dynamite comes out on DVD today. This hilariously authentic spoof of 70s blaxploitation films features Michael Jai White (of Spawn and other B-movie fame) as the ass-kicking, smack-fighting, lady killer, Black Dynamite, who will stop at nothing to avenge his brother’s death and clean up the ‘hood.

The movie premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, but unfortunately, was largely overshadowed by the heavier-themed Precious.  However, Black Dynamite has gotten a lot of positive reviews from  critics, and I for one think it’s impressive to note that Jai White not only stars in the film – delivering both comic lines and action sequences with great skill – but also had a hand in writing the script. I guess he’s had enough B-movie experience to be able to turn the genre into a comic goldmine for himself.

On a related note, I happened to be enjoying a DVD collection of The Boondocks during Atlanta’s recent snow ‘storm’ , and rediscovered one of my favorite scenes  where Huey goes toe-to-toe with Bushido Brown, a black kung fu master sporting a perfectly coiffed afro and aviator sunglasses. The beau – who’d never seen the Boondocks episode – hipped me to the fact that the cartoon character seemed to be modeled after Jim Kelly, a real-life blaxploitation kung fu action hero from the 70s. Later that day, in an attempt to cure our cabin fever, we made a trip to Videodrome and immediately came across Black Belt Jones, the 1974 flick starring none other than Jim Kelly.  Needless to say I snatched it up and, upon viewing it, was surprised to find that not only did The Boondocks borrow Kelly’s image for the character of Bushido Brown, but Michael Jai White also borrowed heavily from Black Belt Jones for several scenes of Black Dynamite. The theme song from Black Belt Jones – composed by funk guitarist Dennis Coffey – was also surprisingly familiar. A snippet of the theme (along with a snippet from Coffey’s tune, ‘Scorpio’) was sampled in LL Cool J’s ‘Jingling Baby’. Just goes to show, a good thing never goes out of style.

If you’re a fan of movie spoofs, 70s culture, tongue-in-cheek action films, or watching sexy, shirtless black kung fu masters stick it to the man, I strongly suggest you rent them both.

Later for you jive turkeys,

k

y we remember – current perspectives on the future of black history

The name of the comedian escapes me (Chris Rock maybe?), but there’s a standup skit about Black History Month that, unfortunately, is a pretty accurate summation of the Black History curriculum that I and most of my peers received in school: 

“Once upon a time there was a thing called slavery. Some time later, Martin Luther King was born….” 

While that synopsis of Black History education was grossly exaggerated for comic effect, it still wasn’t too far from the truth. Throughout elementary and high school, each February was the time for recounting the familiar narrative: we were once slaves, we were once denied the education and opportunities that other Americans were given, and had it not been for the illustrious leaders of the post-Reconstruction and civil rights era, we might never have made it through. Then we’d sing We Shall Overcome three times, listen to an excerpt of Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech, learn an African dance routine, and return to our regularly scheduled educational programming in March. While I always enjoyed hearing the familiar stories and speeches, I began to notice that, each year, the gap between the era of Black history I was being taught about and the era of Black now I was living in kept growing wider and wider. 

It wasn’t until I made it to college – where I enrolled in a freshman World History course at Clark Atlanta University – that I got a more comprehensive understanding of how Black and African history figured in the larger context of human history. On the first day of class, the professor walked in, headed straight for the blackboard, picked up a piece of chalk and drew three figures. The first was a straight line. The second was a circle. And the third, a straight line that then arced back upon itself. It was only after he’d finished his drawings that he addressed the class. 

“This,” he began, pointing to the straight line, “represents the European worldview. Everything is about forward progress.”
“This,” as he motioned to the circle, “represents the Asian worldview. Everything is cyclical and eventually returns to where it began.”
“And this,” referring to the straight-line-arc, “Is the African worldview. Ever moving forward, but always drawing on the lessons of the past.”
I would later recognize the straight-line-arc being represented in the Adinkra symbol of the Sankofa bird. Sankofa being a word in the Akan language that means ‘go back and get it’, referring to the idea of taking the wisdom of the past and using it to make progress toward a beneficial future. 

It occurs to me that many of us are still celebrating Black History Month the way were taught in elementary school. We recall those icons of the past, laud their praises, recount the stories, and sing the old hymns for 28 days, then it’s back to our regularly scheduled lives in March. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should stop talking about Malcolm, Martin, and Rosa. But the ’old way’ of approaching Black History Month has caused it to lose some of its relevance in the now. We African-American artists, intellectuals, activists, and entrepreneurs are the ones who are creating the history that future generations will look to to help them guide their own progress. And now that we have ‘gone back and gotten it’… what do we do with it today? 

A couple of my contemporaries have dedicated these 28 days to answering that question in their own ways. One, by spotlighting today’s diverse leaders of new media, and the other by issuing a unique call to action for the latest tragedy to hit the Diaspora. 

Wayne Sutton, Social Media and Community Strategist at Twine Interactive (an internet marketing firm), has launched 28 Days of Diversity on his blog, www.socialwayne.com. Each day in February, Sutton will highlight an individual who is a leader or influencer in IT, the web, new media, etc. In an industry that has too few brown faces, this is a huge way of exposing those that we might not ever hear about otherwise. Case in point: today’s spotlight is on Atlanta-based blogger, video producer, and media consultant, Amani Channel. In addition to being the founder of Visual Eye Media, Amani is also the community manager for PBA’s Lens on Atlanta, and in his spare time (yes, that’s sarcasm) he blogs at www.myurbanreport.com. Keep an eye on Wayne’s blog for more folks you should meet this month. 

Bren Herrera, an Atlanta chef and food writer, is rallying the global community of food bloggers, chefs, restaurauteurs, and foodies to raise funds for victims of Haiti’s earthquake via Stir It 28. Stir It 28 is a prime example of 21st century community activism, leveraging new media in a 3-part campaign to raise $50,000 within 28 days. 100% of proceeds will be donated directly to Share Our Strength and Yéle. The fundraiser is a multi-city collaboration between Hererra, who blogs at Flanboyant Eats, Chrystal of The Duo Dishes and Courtney of Coco Cooks. Read all about Stir It 28 and how you can participate . 

(You’ll be hearing more about Stir It 28 from me soon, as I’ll definitely be participating!) 

cheers, 

k

what do you get when you take the ‘art’ out of cartoonery?

…apparently, you get this mess here:

Find more videos like this on HOLLYHOODHDTV.COM

According to the AJC’s Radio and TV Talk Blog, T-Pain has decided to add Executive Producer to his list of dubious accolades. The acclaimed autotuner is the force behind a one-hour animated special entitled, The Return of Freaknik, that is scheduled to air on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim sometime in March.

If you’re a viewer of Adult Swim programming like The Boondocks, Family Guy, and Robot Chicken, then you already know that the cartoons featured in the segment are truly for adult audiences only, and are known for their controversial, provocative and overtly satirical subject matter. But no matter how offensive and in-your-face those ‘toons are, there’s the sense that the humor and outlandishness in them are being used to poke fun at and denounce certain stereotypes. If the trailer of Freaknik is any indicator to what the full feature holds in store, I wouldn’t hold my breath while looking for any redeeming qualities.

Other sources say that the cartoon will also feature the voices of Rick Ross,  Li’l Wayne (voicing a character named Jesus – no relation.), and T-Pain himself as the Ghost of Spring Break, the Spirit of Freaknik.

Somebody hand me a crucifix and some holy water.

cheers,

k

america i am exhibit begins tomorrow

Is there a difference between the history of America and the history of African Americans?

Should there be?

The America I  Am exhibit, conceived by Tavis Smiley and brought to life with the help of African-American visionaries like author Toni Morrison and Dr. Cornel West arrives in Atlanta tomorrow, June 12 at the Atlanta Civic Center. The touring exhibit is billed as a celebration of the African-American ‘imprint’ on the history of America.

I have to be honest with you – as I typed that previous sentence, there’s a strange split feeling, a dichotomy in the wording that truly irks me.

African-American history is often seen as distinctly separate from other American history. When I think back to the American history classes I was required to take in elementary and high school, I can remember that there was a specific section (sometimes a few paragraphs, at most an entire chapter) dedicated to African-American history. It was disintegrated from the rest of the text, as if African-American history happened in a vaccuum somewhere while the rest of American history continued along undaunted and uninfluenced by it and vice-versa. The truth is that there are really two (or more) parallel American histories, both happening along the same timeline, both intersecting and cross-pollinating each other, both affected by many of the same technological and social evolutions, yet in distinctly different ways. With the exception of one humanities course I took in undergrad, I’ve yet to see the text or exhibit that approaches American history from this perspective.

I’ve not seen the America I Am exhibit yet, so I don’t know if this integration of African-American history with other American history will be on display there, but I’m hopeful that it will bring us one step closer to that ideal. If not, it will at least serve as a supplement for those of us who want more than a chapter’s-worth of information about the history of brown people in America.

America I Am will reside in Atlanta until September 6, 2009. Tickets are available for purchase online via Ticketmaster. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children, and $8 for seniors. Discount tickets are available at participating Wal-Mart stores in Georgia.

Visit the America I Am website for more details.

cheers,

k

what’s twitter and why you should (or shouldn’t) bother

Imagine this. You arrive at a bustling, networking event and casually walk into the center of the very large, very crowded room. All around you, groups of varying sizes are engaged in lively conversation. From where you stand, you can catch snippets of every discussion, and a little smidgen of what each person is saying. That guy over in the corner is the promoter for that hot new nightclub downtown, and he’s offering all of his group free admission this Friday. The young lady a few feet away from him is happily sharing small business marketing advice and is giving a referral to a friend of hers who provides half-off discounts to the best restaurants in the city. The guy standing next to her isn’t saying as much as everyone else, but when he does, it’s the wittiest / funniest thing you’ve ever heard! And the woman on the far side of the room looks like Erykah Badu. No, wait…she IS Erykah Badu! As you stand there and listen some more, hundreds of other useful tidbits buzz by your ears. It’s hard to keep up with them all and you’re worried that you’ll never have enough time to meet and connect with all of the cool, funny, interesting, and helpful people in front of you. Plus, you’ve got valuable information and witty repartee of your own to share… but how are you ever going to be able to engage with everyone?

Just then, Rod Serling magically appears at your side, and says, “There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call ‘The Twitter Zone’. ”

Suddenly, the room goes dead silent. Everything begins moving in slow motion. When the next person opens their mouth to speak, you see their words appear written in a little bubble over their head with a time and date stamp on the end of it. You – and everyone else in the room – can go around and literally cherry-pick out of the air those bits of conversation that are interesting to you and put them in your book of acquaintances. Every time you open your book, you’ll have a growing history of everything those people said since you picked them. Those you don’t pick, won’t show up in the book. And because of the time / date stamp, you can see how long ago the words were said. Likewise, anyone who’s put your name in their book, will be able to see everything you’ve said. “Wow” you think to yourself, “This is pretty friggin’ amazing!” “No,” says Rod Serling, “This. Is Twitter.”

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the lena baker story – limited screening this weekend

BUY MOVIE TIX | BUY THE BOOK

I heard about this movie during last year’s Atlanta Film Festival. But unfortunately, I heard about it too late to get a ticket to the sold-out premiere. Fortunately – for me and for you – there’s a second chance to catch the film this weekend.

Hope and Redemption: The Lena Baker Story is a film that was inspired by the book, The Lena Baker Story written by Dr. Lela Bond Phillips. Both works cover the real-life account of the complex relationship between a black woman with a sordid past and a white man with an abusive personality in Jim Crow era Georgia. The black woman is Lena Baker, the only woman to have been sent to the electric chair in Georgia.

The film – which was written, produced, and directed by Ralph Wilcox – is set and shot on location in southwest Georgia, and stars Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris) as Lena Baker, and Peter Coyote as her employer/abuser and the man she is accused of murdering.

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what a difference a day makes

It was only a few days ago, but already I can barely remember the cold January morning air. I remember being cold, of course – freezing cold. But that feeling pales in comparison to the memory of the warm glow of anticipation that served as my alarm clock on Obama’s inauguration day, and continued to grow as we made our way onto the streets of Washington, D.C.

The weather forecast predicted that the thermometer would only make it up to about 30 degrees, but the wind chill would make it feel more like 20. Certainly not the kind of weather this Georgia girl is used to hangin’ out in for long periods of time. But I was well prepared. My inauguration day outfit consisted of: long johns (top and bottom), another undershirt for extra insulation, and 2 pairs of socks topped off with a turtleneck sweater and sturdy jeans, and appropriately accessorized with 2 scarves, a pair of gloves and a hat big enough to cover my forehead and ears. It’s a wonder I didn’t pass out from heat exhaustion before I made it outdoors.

At 7:30am, we joined the steadily growing stream of people making their way toward the National Mall. Gloved hands clutched cups of steaming hot coffee or miniature US flags, and faces shone with bright smiles and expectant eyes. The early morning sunlight glinted off of buttons that bore numerous artistic interpretations of the face and name we had all come here for – Obama. Hundreds more renderings of the icon on all manner of keepsake items were on display from vendors already hawking their wares, and other still setting up their booths.

“Getcha Obama t-shirts heeeere! Inauguration t-shirts, folks! One for ten, two for fifteeeeeeen!”
“Lifetime calendars! Lifetime Obama calendars!”
“Inauguration bumper stickers!! I was there, where were you?!!”

One t-shirt design in particular caught my eye as we neared the intersection of 17th and K Streets. On it, MLK lay sleeping, his head resting peacefully on an open Bible. In the dream scene depicted above his head, was a tall, proudly smiling Barack Obama.

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donate and get a limited edition inaugural poster

This just in from the official Obama Inauguration blog:

We just released a commemorative poster designed by Los Angeles artist Shepard Fairey in honor of President-elect Obama’s Inauguration. It’s now available as a gift for grassroots supporters who donate $20.00 to help make this Inauguration the most inclusive and accessible one in history.

Fairey designed this special image to celebrate President-elect Obama’s Inauguration. It echoes his famous “HOPE” posted, which was ubiquitous during the 2008 presidential campaign. To get the poster, visit www.pic2009.org/poster .

 

For more inauguration products and collectibles, click here

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