Was Hancock A Big Inside Joke For Hollywood? - Biko Baker
My man Minister Jasiri X (who also puts it down in the booth) just forwarded me this blog he just wrote about his reflections on Hancock. Pretty insightful stuff. Check it out:
The Text can be found at http://blog.myspace.com/jasirix
Hancock: The First Ni**a Superhero!
I know I know I'm a conspiracy theorist…
It's just a coincidence that the first "superhero" depicted on the silver screen as a criminal, alcoholic, lazy, foul mouthed, not giving a you know what bum, living in a broken down trailer, who everybody hates including the people he saves, *just happens* to *be black.*
Right?
And, it's just a coincidence the one man who loves Hancock, has faith in him and truly cares about him as a person; is an idealistic white man who wants to save the entire planet. Let's call him the Anti-Bush. Oh and I can't forget his adorable little son is the only character, besides his loving father, that doesn't refer to Hancock as an a**hole.
Right?
And, is it just a coincidence that Hancock only maintains his super powers if he stays away from a "beautiful" white woman who is *technically* his wife.
*You have got to be kidding, right??!!*
I mean, of course the Blacks and Latinos hate Hancock because the only ones depicted in the movie are criminals, and although he does an extremely poor job, is often late, drunk, unshaven, shabbily dressed and does more damage than good (just coincidences!) he does, at the very least, fight crime.
But, everything changes for friendless Hancock when he saves a white man with a heart of gold and an angel of a son who wants to help Hancock with his "image". (Because of course America won't accept an always drinking and cursing black man with a rap sheet, I mean who does he think he is Lil Wayne?) In a matter of minutes he convinces Hancock to turn himself in and go to jail. He even writes his press conference speech for him!
Mr. Save the World then proceeds to "civilize" the savage Hancock by convincing him to stop drinking, shave, wear a hero uniform, treat other people with kindness and consideration, and even how to land without ruining public property. Things that; in the 80 years he remembers being a superhero, poor Hancock never seemed to figure out.
After his much needed "makeover" Hancock finally receives the love of the people he was always looking for. And, even when he realizes he is not the only superhero and his "savior's" wife is his long lost love, he gladly leaves because when they are together they become "mortals". Plus, she was smart enough to hide her powers, because unlike Hancock; she could care less about saving people -- she just wants to live a "normal" life. (How ironic that her husband wants to save the world and she actually has the power to do so but selfishly refuses to do so because she prefers being a spaghetti cooking, house wife.)
The black man, even though he's a superhero, needs the white man to properly educate him and integrate him into his society and the white woman who is also a superhero has to hide her power just to keep her white man *
(coincidence!!!)*
Come on now, we all know that any woman in her right mind would take Jason Bateman over Will Smith, and of course Hancock does have his bird to keep him company (yes, it's literally a bird).
But, please don't leave right after the movie ends or you'll miss a bug eyed Mike Epps playing — You guessed it, a jive talking criminal— one steaming pile of white supremacy with a coon on top!
Don't believe me?
Well, just compare Hancock to the other superheroes of the summer like millionaire, genius, scientist Iron-man or millionaire, playboy, martial art expert Batman. Hell, even Bruce Banner (The Hulk) is a world renown scientist who only seems to get into trouble when his skin is no longer…….I know, I know I'm a conspiracy theorist.
Well, at least there is one more action movie coming out this summer that stars a black man! Don Cheadle plays a Black Muslim and former solider with apparent connections to a number of terrorist operations in a movie called "TRAITOR".
OK, OK, *I'm sure this is just a coincidence.*
Right?
Rob "Biko" Baker is a nationally recognized hip-hop organizer, journalist, activist and scholar. In his home community of Milwaukee, he has organized hip-hop town hall meetings and mobilized young people to participate in civic life. Baker has served as the deputy publicity coordinator and young voter organizer for the Brown and Black Presidential Forum. He was also lead organizer for Slam Bush, a nationwide voter mobilization project using rap and poetry. In 2006, Baker developed the League of Young Voters training program, which prepares the next generation of activists to make long-term commitments to local organizing. Baker is a Ph.D. candidate at UCLA, a frequent contributor to The Source, and serves on WireTap's editorial board.
1 comment:
I will say I am a very proud African American woman. I am glad to have married an African American man. I believe that we are powerful and wise people. I know that all can be possible for us when we step up to believing that it is possible. I wanted to comment on the recent Jesse Jackson comment and the feedback concerning Senator Obama speech on African American men. I am one of the most positive people in this world. I always see the good in the bad of the situation. And yet, I am a realist. Meaning, right now, as an African American community we must have honest dialogue about our internal issues and concerns. I understand that many people felt Senator Obama should have addressed all men concerning their parenting skills, but remember, he was speaking to black people. There are a high number of black men not present in their children's lives. I see it everyday in my classrooms and I see the affect and I was one who grew up without a presence. Yes, we are a strong people. Yes, we are a wise people. Yes, we can overcome all things. The question then becomes are we truly walking in what we say we are or truly believe it in our daily lives. Poverty mentality, Sexual immorality, Slave mentality, years of physical, mental and psychological abuse from a nation without a sign of an apology or retribution, affected us as a people. And yet, we are not honest about that. We tackle it by going to the group that perpetuates that continued abuse for help and their feedback. This is a time in our lives as a black community to have a family meeting and deal with it. Black men tired of getting a bad rap. Begin to stand up as Black men and change the tone of the media, change the tone of entertainment, change the tone through your presence. Say something. Be heard. Black women have to begin to stand up. I am now thinking of ways to create a network that will spread to every black woman in this nation to take back our communities. Not just a foundation but a stance to go an extra mile and take it back with consistent actions. Why? Our children need to see us not just talk about change and what other people are doing but seeing us stand up and do what needs to be done. If our schools do not have computers, the black business community should meet with schools and make it happen. It is not time to wait on others to change their minds but for us to no longer be the victims but the victors that we are. We attend church every week and know God is real and yet our own individual actions do not fully represent that belief in our daily living. God has been good to us. We are still standing as people when others would have been extinct hundreds of years ago. Why is that because we have the power, strength, endurance, perseverance and faith to make change occur. Are we really changing? If we just sit around and talk about what others are doing to us when will we say enough is enough and speak good things in our lives. We are letting people daily speak evil and wrong in our lives. When are we going to stand up and speak good and right in our lives? Our children look to us as adults to living their life. What are we truly leaving as a legacy to our children? Children will love themselves, aspire to be great, believe in the community, give back to the community; when the adults begin to do the same. We do not need another award show but an upgrade in our life performance in taking a stand to take back our images, our voices, our dreams, our visions, our promises, our covenant, our love for self, our faith, our belief in the impossible and our heritage. It is not up to other groups to make us feel proud of us. It is up to us to make us feel proud of us. I love God. I love my husband. I love my children. I love my family. I love my church. I love my community. Until everyone begin to live their life in the love circle we will continue to hide behind "the man" mentality and not step up to our personal responsibility to ourself to be all God wants us to be. God created us, now Black People be proud of the creation and respect the creation by living a life that God, your family and your community will be proud.
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