Monday, March 7, 2011

I'm black, y'all

This week I have chosen a scene from the very funny 90's film CB4.
Cb4 is a film about a trio of black youths in the 90's who find fame and fortune as a gangsta rap group. Its half 'mockcumentary', half comedy, and is inspired by the hugely popular west-coast rap of groups such as N.W.A, and solo-artists Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. In the scene I have chosen, one of the members of CB4, who having been influenced by the 'back to Africa' movement that was an inspiration to many rappers of the period, goes solo and releases a song entitled 'I'm Black' in which he states over and over again that he's 'blackety black' and 'black and I'm back'. The scene is an obvious reference to a certain type of rap in the 90's.
Post LA Riots, many rappers and young black men felt a new pride in their colour, many felt as though the events of the 1992 riots had been caused by underlying racism in America, and so looked to where it all started for many African-Americans - Africa. This new respect and love of Africa was more inspired by Malcolm X than it was Martin Luther King Jr, and groups such as De La Soul showed this new-found pride by sporting Africa shaped pendants.

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