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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