FEATURE
Have you noticed the sudden rise in more diversity on our screens? More prominent, complex roles as well as good quality plots? Epic music mixed with Shakespearean drama in ' Empire '; suspenseful thriller ' The Night Of ' starring Brit, Riz Ahmed; ' How To Get Away with Murder ' showcases the superb talent of Viola Davis as it ' s protagonist; ' Master of None ' with its stereotyped representation of the long overlooked Asian American; and breakthrough movie ' Hidden Figures ' all demonstrate an exciting new wave. Though there is still a long way to go, the digital age has allowed more people the power to choose more diversity in the films and TV shows they watch. Last summer, TV series The Get Down premiered on Netflix with much promise. It narrates the birth of hip hop and the
last days of disco in New York’ s ethnically diverse Bronx. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, with a whole lot of money thrown at the project, it presents a spectacularly visual showcase with a vibrant cast and mixtape soundtrack. In a dying Bronx in bankrupt 1970’ s New York, a group of teenagers have little else but their own creativity( showcased through their spray cans, marker pens, records, voices and improvised dance moves) but out of this, emerged hip hop. With an ethnically diverse cast, there was room to portray more complex characters and break stereotypes. There is the main character: the intelligent, sensitive Ezekiel who unknowingly turns his street-cred shaming talent as poet into a way of life as master lyricist & MC. Jaden Smith plays Dizzee. Interestingly, Netflix recently started re-running hit 90’ s TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring his father, Will Smith.
Watching those again demonstrates how much time has gone by and yet how little has changed. Will had his own outrageous, unique style and bravado but charmed a mainstream audience with his knowing wit that touched on the challenges facing a young African-American male at the time. There are different opportunities now for his son, whose character meets his tribe and risks police arrest to find himself through the underground graffiti art world, as well as exploring his sexuality in the SoHo music scene. Papa Fuerte is proudly Bronx born and bred. He holds local power and prestige but doesn’ t use this to abuse, he has a vision to see the community regenerated and helps both his niece, Myleene, and her love interest, Ezekiel, get a foot in the door of both the mainstream music recording industry and elite Manhattan world alike. The wild mixing of styles provides a crazy visual explosion that is pleasingly nostalgic for those familiar with the era: the clothes, the graffiti art protest on subway trains and walls, the mastering of ceremonies and kung-fu kicks. A music lover’ s coming of age drama for the modern
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