Clean Cut Blackness

Some people criticize it. Most of us praise it. The show’s un-apologetically black nature is the most awesome thing about it. The second most awesome thing is it’s un-apologetically black and. . .  it’s good! It’s not one of Netflix’s cliche, black independent films. (I am so over the tacky ‘Wanna-be -The Best Man’s’,  and ‘ Wish- I- was -Love and Basketball’ movies.)

Being a part of a black cast shouldn’t mean submitting to one of the cliche roles Hollywood provides for black actors. Black  doesn’t mean cliché. It doesn’t mean wack.

There are several references to successful black people in the show.

• A few of the artist featured include Raphael Saadiq, Charles Bradley and Faith Evans; black artists .
• Each episode is named after a Gang Starr rap song. (East coast Hip-Hop rappers)
• Mike Tyson, a professional boxer  is one of the many black athletes casually mentioned throughout the series.
• The death of black teen Trayvon Martin inspired Cage’s bulletproof hoodie attire.
• One of the complexes in the show is named after Crispus Attucks( an icon of the anti-slavery movement)

Black figures; icons; heroes do exist. They are not wack. This show is unquestionably meant to reach black audiences. And it is not wack.

The fact that such a good show is centered around black people may make certain people uncomfortable. Let them be. Meanwhile can anyone hook me up with where to get a holey hoody for cheap? #bulletproofhoodieclan