A look behind blaxploitation and ‘Black Dynamite’

Question: Is a blaxploitation movie still a blaxploitation movie when it’s made by black people?

Blaxploitation films begin in 1970 as a way to target black audiences — especially those in the urban communities.  Blaxploitation (a portmanteau of the words ‘black’ and ‘exploitation) films were known for their soundtracks featuring funk and soul music and featuring predominately black actors. 

Superfly was a blaxploitation film that was released in 1972 starring Ron O'Neal.

However, these blaxploitation movies may have done more harm than good.  Most of the movies were based in the ghetto and depicted crime, drug dealing and filled with ethnic slurs.  This resulted in the perpetuation of sterotypes such as pimps and drug dealers — all in line with how whites viewed blacks in the inner city during this era.  Most notable blaxploitation films include Superfly, Blacula, Cleopatra Jones and Foxy Brown.

Fast forwarding to today.  In recent years, blaxploitation movies still present viewers with the same characteristics and premises as those from the 70s.  One of the more all-around contemporary blaxploitation film is Undercover Brother starring Eddie Griffin.  On Oct. 16th, the newest in the line of blaxploitation will be released, Black Dynamite.

Black Dynamite is Michael Jai White’s brain child (sort of).  A true throwback to the genre, White stars as Black Dynamite, a former CIA agent in 1972 that is called back into duty to stop an Italian mob from putting heroin into black orphanages.  With character names like Sweetmeat, Mo Bitches and Chocolate Giddy-Up, it defines the typical brand.

White said that the movie pays homage to the blaxploitation films from 39 years ago.  I intially begin writing this piece questioning why would you pay homage to a genre of movies that was so stereotypical in nature with another movie of the same ilk?  Wouldn’t it be better to do a film disspelling the stereotypical blaxploitation movie?  And is it realy blaxploitation when blacks have a hand in the making of it?

But then I read a quote by White from gothamist.com were he said:

When it first started it was an incredible thing of pride for African-Americans, who only had subservient characters as representations of them in years prior. So for the first time you had actual alpha males in leading roles and the movies were actually very quality films.

That made me rethink my original thesis.  Maybe blaxploitation films weren’t bad after all. Maybe they just send out the wrong message — like rap music has done.

BELOW IS THE TRAILER FOR BLACK DYNAMITE, in theaters Friday, Oct. 16

Innocent lost, part 2

Sherdavin Jenkins’ murder trial couldn’t have come at a more unfortunate time.

The past two weeks has seen the death of and a severely injured youth — both in Chicago and both by beating.  The victims were 16-year-old Derrion Albert and a 14-year-old, both are boys.  

Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death by gangs on a Chicago street on Sept. 24.

Albert was beaten to death in front of the Agape Community Center on Sept. 24 by a gang of boys which was recorded by an eyewitness (see video here).  Then, less than a week later, the 14-year-old was beaten at night on another side of the city.  The younger of the two victims fortunately survived.

Just as in Jenkins’ case three years prior, the “street code” of ‘Stop Snitching’ has prevented anyone from coming forward with information about the deaths.  Luckily, circumstances allowed arrests to be made in both cases (thanks mainly to the video tape in Albert’s instance).  Three are charged in the Albert murder, the oldest being 19-years-old.

Although the ‘Stop Snitching’ credo has been around since 1999, rapper Cam’ron made it infamous in his 60 Minutes interview in 2007.  After being shot in 2005, Cam’ron refused to reveal who shot him saying:

“Because with the type of business I’m in, it would definitely hurt my business.  And the way I was raised, I just don’t do that.  I was raised differently, not to tell,” Cam’ron said.

As much debate can be said about the good and/or bad of the rap culture,  statements and ideas such as those presented by Cam’ron, along with the glorification of the street life by rappers has put a black light over the culture of rap music.  By that argument can wait for another blog space.

What must happen is the lost of innocence, like that of Jenkins and Albert.  Rather being gunned down accidentally or bludgeon to death, kids losing their lives long before it can get started good is senseless and ridiculous.  If the children are our future, and they are being eliminated, will there be a future?

Innocent lost, part 1

One of my favorite (well most watched) shows on TV is A&E’s ‘The First 48.’  ‘The First 48′ follows homicide dectectives from various cities from around the country, from Birmingham to Cincinnati, from Dallas to Detroit, from Kansas City to Louisville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Phoenix and Minneapolis. 

Nine year-old Sherdavin Jenkins was killed in a crossfire in 2006. Her case was featured on the A&E show 'The First 48.'

All week I’ve been following the trial of Damon Darling on ‘In Session’ and ‘Courtside’ during the CourtTV portion on truTV. Darling, 24, is on trial for the murder of 9-year-old Sherdavin Jenkins on July 1st, 2006. The trial is interesting to me because the case was featured on the fourth season of ‘The First 48′ in the episode entitled: “Innocent Lost” (see video clip here).  Jenkins was killed when she was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between Darling and Leroy Larose in the Liberty Square Housing Projects in Miami, also known as the ‘Pork ‘n’ Beans Projects.’

Larose is serving seven years in prison for his participation in the murder.  Darling could face life if convicted.

The most intriguing testimony was that of Miami homicide detective of Rolando Garcia.  Garcia exposed ‘The First 48′ as a fraud — sort of.  It dispelled A&E’s claim that the show is real.

“‘The First 48′ is based on reality,” Garcia said on the stand. “It is a dramatization.”  He went on to say that they are given scripts to read.

This makes me view the show in a different light.  ‘The First 48′ to me now is like a suped up ‘CSI: Miami.’  The cases are real, there are real victims, real suspects and real police officers but the show needs the editorial stamp: based on true events like it does with movies like “Remember the Titans,” despite the fact that real-time interrogations are aired.

I will continue to watch the show, just with a different eye.