Man… I went undercover and had to see the train wreck known to those as Soul Plane. I disguised myself as the ignorant brother who knew no better instead of opinionated critic who knew not to spend his damn money on this movie. As I exited I felt several emotions run through my body. At first I was embarrassed, then I was upset, then I thought “Ah…what the hell it’s just a movie”, then I contemplated what I’m expressing to you right now through my own eyes and words. I may catch a lot of heat for what I am about to say but here it goes…What the f*ck did you people expect!?!?
Stereotype: noun(definition) 1. A simplified and fixed image of all members of a culture or group (based on race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, national origins)
2. Generalizations about people that are based on limited, sometimes inaccurate, information (from such sources as television, cartoons or comic books, minimal contact with one or more members of the group, second-hand information)
3. Initial predictions about strangers based on incomplete information about their culture, race, religion, or ethnicity
AD LOADING...
4. A single statement or attitude about a group of people that does not recognize the complex, multidimensional nature of human beings
5. Broad categories about people that fail to differentiate among individuals, peoples, and societies
6. Identification of easily observable characteristics of groups of people
Was Soul Plane really that farfetched? I mean I love my people to death but what we saw in Soul Plane was just another extension of those ridiculous videos we catch on MTV and BET. Maybe I’m stepping out a bit far with this one but I do in fact believe that some people dig the idea of a plane with a club in the back. I also believe that some people thought that the concept of having an airport with a “Terminal Malcolm X” selling rims and having a $.99 store was genius. Maybe I’m being a bit “stereotypical” but many stereotypes contain some elements of truth in them. It’s just that if we want to avoid these stereotypes we should stop fanning the flames from which the burn. Sure the esteemed black folks who were offended by this ridiculous onslaught of stereotype after stereotype had more than enough reason to feel that way. Hell, I had to cover my face in shame as they passed buckets of chicken through the low class section of the plane. I shook my head in dismay as I witnessed a purple plane on 84 inch spinners make its way through the friendly skies. But then I waltz outside and capture visions of my own people riding on 22’s living in an apartment with their moms. I go to the club and I hear Nelly’s woman degrading song (but with a video so disgusting I can’t stop watching it) “Tip Drill” as scantly clad women jiggle their picture perfect rumps to the degrading lyrics. Ah the irony of life! How ironic is it that the very movie that we throw out hands up in disgust made it past the cutting room floor while more intelligent films about stereotypes such as Bamboozled, Dancing in September, and the recently released Baadasssss never make it big. Why? Because Soul Plane embodies everything we spend our hard earned cash on. For some reason most of us find ourselves captivated by the more ignorant things in life while anything remotely dealing with intelligence gets pushed aside. Let’s put this into perspective on hip-hop terms. Talib Kweli struggles to go gold with conscious lyrics about history and culture while J Kwon goes platinum when his underage ass informs you about getting Tipsy. Turn to 106th and Park where the only possible way you will catch one of the conscious artists videos is if Kanye West is featured on the track (Big ups to Kanye but he’s a whole ‘nother topic altogether). But let Lil John yell “Skeet Skeet” or “Okay!!!” and watch what happens. Where were our esteemed black voices defending black cultures dignity then? This is not anything new in our generation. We have been “cooning” for years on record and nobody has really stepped up and said shit. And for those who have…unfortunately nobody was listening. So why act so surprised now? Why because Snoop Dogg, Method Man and company made a movie that’s really just an hour and a half music video complete with stewardess’ dressed in revealing garb and a plane with an unrivaled hydraulics system? This isn’t something that’s brand new people. But here is the nature of the problem…you ready? Hold onto your seat people because what I am about to say may smack some of you upside your head. We don’t support anything embracing intelligence and dignity! Groundbreaking shit huh?
AD LOADING...
For instance, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock may be two of the most brain stimulating comedians in the past decade or so. They are able to mix good humor with spine cracking reasoning. We proclaim we love them to death but when I went to the show in the town where I reside I could count the number of black folks on one hand. A few years back I went to the Spitkicker tour which consisted of a then budding Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Pharaoe Monch, and Common. I felt like the minority being surrounded by all ethnicities but African Americans. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not condemning any other race for embracing the same mind stimulating acts mentioned above. It’s just that you would think that for one second we might look at and embrace positive artists instead of wasting our hard earned cash on nothing but the G-Unit. We have complained for years that we made rock and roll, jazz and now hip hop and that it was “stolen” from us by another race. Maybe if we supported Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix it wouldn’t have gotten away from us. A lot of other factors are involved in this transition but the bottom line is we like this stereotypical crap. We don’t like to think. We enjoy seeing ourselves “cooning” and in “buffoonery” and the box office numbers prove just that.
We have become so accustomed to not thinking that anything with a sense of intelligence is instantaneously tuned out. It’s like as if when somebody makes us think that the shit gives us a migraine. For instance; I was riding in the car with my boy listening to Mos Def and he looked at me as if I were playing Klu Klux Klan rallies. He swiftly popped my CD out and tuned into the latest Cash Money joint. Now I know what you are saying “Damn kid you should have went upside his head” yeah… I should have for touching my deck without asking but more so because he said “Man I don’t wanna hear that conscious ‘back to Africa’ shit!” But therein lies the problem. This is what we are accustomed to. This is what we want. Soul Plane is no different. I was in that movie theater and I heard both people young and old, black and white, male and female, laugh at this obscene stereotypical flick. But maybe I’m the crazy one. Maybe intelligence is an acquired taste like octopus or something like that. Maybe substance is in fact overrated. But I’m just a critic…who the hell am I?
We have gotten a few emails about this article so, if you are interested in writing to the writer or discussion this article post a message on themessage board. We have already started a discussion and he will be sure to answer any questions you have.
