Hip Hop Stacks: August 2014

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Fruitvale Station Today

Fruitvale Station Today

I've been wanting to see this movie for a long while. I waited for the film to land on Netflix but would forget to look it up. Now that I check out Red Box films I noticed Fruitvale when I was searching for God's Not Dead. Immediately, I changed plans and made up my mind to screen Fruitvale Station for the evening after dinner.

Oscar Grant

I became familiar with Oscar Grant's story in 2009 through news feeds of Hip Hop advocates like Davey D (who's based in the Bay Area) and also through the coverage of independent news sources like TruthOut who published several articles after the police killing such as "Unrest in Oakland Has Deep Roots in City's History of Race Relations". A few clips since put me on to Grant's name via Hip Hop MCs like Raashan Ahmad ((How Long)), Zion I's Oscar Grant Tribute ((listen)), and other shout outs as well. The Beat Within, a writing and art publication for incarcerated youth based out of the Bay Area also educated readers on their feelings about the police killing. A couple years ago I instructed an NMSU class online called Criminal Justice & Youth Outreach (CJYO) and we watched footage captured the night Grant was killed by police. The footage included below is a higher quality than the clip we watched clearly showing the un-excusable act of murder by policeman Johannes Mehserle. Much of the footage is reenacted in the film, including the dialogue between the police and Grant as he was pressed into the floor face down before being executed.

Michael B. Jordan

I was introduced to Michael B. Jordan through his moving role as Wallace on HBO television series The Wire. The first project outside of The Wire that I seen with Jordan was Red Tails. There are certain lifetime roles that I believe wait on very special actors, whether we're talking about Denzel Washington's portrayal of Malcolm X, the late Philip Seymour's role as Truman Capote, Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson in 42, or Meryl Streep in the Iron Lady, etc. As a fan of Jordan, when I heard about Fruitvale Station, I felt this would be one of those moments in film. And I don't mean this was a "break through role". It's much more a "break through moment" for everyone involved, especially the family that granted access to portray their lives in Oakland and how they were affected by police terrorism. In watching Jordan work, we're able to reflect on Oscar Grant's life, his family, circumstance, and how volatile encounters with law enforcement can be. This is especially true for those that doubt or try to find reason to excuse these murders. Through everyone's involvement, especially Jordan, we're able to appreciate what independent film projects have to offer counter to the uninvolved nature of the Hollywood clown box.

Ryan Coogler

Fruitvale Station is film director Ryan Coogler's debut. Listening to Ryan Coogler on the bonus features, you see not only the passion and drive to make this film, but an individual who overstands the power of what he's doing and why. You also sense his connection to the Bay Area community as a native of Oakland through the film's sounds, sights, and slang. The audience also see's the humility in his approach to inspire audiences to think, not only about the struggles between police and community, but also the internal problems young people face growing up in neglect, poverty, and/or locations affected by gang violence (and police violence). While this film definitely invokes feelings of sadness, especially anger, the director mentions his intent to raise awareness and demonstrate advocacy through a film like Fruitvale Station. He also gives viewers the opportunity to become familiar with Oscar Grant, beyond just the name. This is especially true in light of the character defamation that some police-murder victims go through to save face of the inconsistencies of the protect & serve facade in several American communities.

I respect Coogler's care for this film and what the audience takes from his relationship with mentors like Forest Whitaker and the support they were able to leverage. Especially to incorporate the caliber of actress like Octavia Spencer and to highlight the incredible talents of Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, the supporting cast, and the involvements of producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, amongst others.

This film is a platform to continue the dialogue in light of today's tragedies. To encourage people to understand that Oscar Grant, Kendra James, Trayvon, Martin, Sergio Adrian Hernandez, Israel Hernandez, Kendrick Johnson, Michael Brown, James Boyd, Daniel Saenz, Jordan Davis, and so many others impacted by the pain of corruption and police terror, MATTER.

Recently I read an article titled "After Ferguson, Grant Makers Seek Solutions to Racial-Justice Issues" by Suzanne Perry posted in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. She writes about thoughts of philanthropic leaders and their thoughts of response to Ferguson both short and long term. One of the quotes by Susan Taylor Batten mentions her belief that "grant makers should go beyond such efforts and examine longstanding issues related to race - for example, by paying for databases to collect information about the number of unarmed black people killed by police and organizing discussions in their regions about community-police relations." Perry quotes Ms. Batten stating, "it's a challenge to get philanthropy to turn its attention as a field to some of these thornier, tougher issues." It's these type of conversations that connect to the greater purpose of a film like Fruitvale Station and creative ways people like Coogler and the cast are addressing this situation. It becomes a part of a larger conversation especially in thinking about those questions Perry mentions in her article related to poverty, police accountability, and harmful stereotypes about young black men. Through story it emphasizes human rights and protection from discrimination or violence at the hands of those that possess power of another.

Support this film at your local Red Box or buy it if you can. Pass the word and request that your local libraries add to their catalog: www.fruitvalefilm.com.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Words and Paintings by Kadir Nelson | EPPL

Words and Paintings of Kadir Nelson

This is one of the greatest children's books I've ever read. Reading that thought back to myself it doesn't even sound right to place a label on this work of art as a "children's book". This year I got the chance to watch the film 42 through my first Red Box rental and wrote a review about it click here... Initially, I was searching for a book about "basketball history" for my nephew when I stumbled across this text. It's a little bit ahead of my nephew's reading level so I decided to check it out for myself.

Prior to this text, I didn't know enough (if anything) about Negro League Baseball... other than what I learned in the first few moments of the Jackie Robinson film, and pieces of information I use to pick up here & there about Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson through references in Spike Lee joints...sometimes (though rarely) television networks like ESPN would highlight a footnote about a player or important moment... Even all the 30 for 30 documentaries I've seen on Netflix... not one about a legend from the Negro Leagues. I've never been as deep into baseball as I was other sports, but as a kid we loved to play stick ball (or soft ball in Middle phys-ed) and collect all the trading cards... My father on the other hand has plenty of stories having met Willie Mays during his youth with his twin brother. Some players I know of having grown up in a neighborhood where all the streets are named after baseball hall of fame players.

Starting with the front cover, We are the Ship, the Story of Negro League Baseball, pulls you in. The oil painting depicting Josh Gibson is powerful. While most children's books I've read have an author & artist (two different people) as you begin your journey through the oil paintings with the pitch strike on the title page and Mr. Buck O'Neil followed by a painting I'd turn into a poster for my wall if I could (of the Monarchs) and on to a rich painting of Hank Aaron who writes the foreword... immediately, I began planning the next moment I could spend time reading EVERY... SINGLE... WORD by Nelson while examining EVERY... SINGLE ... PAINTING by Nelson.

I've held on to this book for two check out cycles and will return it to the El Paso Public Library today. While there is so much to say about the book, at the end of the read it inspired my interest to learn more about all the athletes Nelson illustrates & introduces to readers. Each painting taught me something new. It's a book that took time in its research and presentation and one of those lifetime achievements meant to be introduced to the world by a very specific person. It's similar to how I felt about Chadwick Boseman's portrayal of Jackie Robinson in 42. Sometimes certain things in this world wait on the person and the moment for which the message is intended to be delivered. And with We are the Ship, Kadir Nelson creates a true gift that visually preserves what's been kept from readers... youth and elder alike.

Below I've included a YouTube video that features Kadir Nelson as well as a website. In the keywords below you'll find names of several of the baseball legends referenced throughout the text. This review does little justice to what I took from this text and the quest to learn more... but its intended as a starting point for myself to dig further into the true story of baseball and Nelson's other projects including paintings that have been featured on Hip Hop projects.

www.kadirnelson.com