I remember watching Boyz In Da Hood a number of times as a child and then one day I could not watch it anymore, it was just too depressing!
The same thing happened with other black films such as New Jack City and Sugar Hill, to the point were today whenever Boyz In Da Hood is showing or some other black film (Kidulthood) depicting a black man down/out; with gang and baby mother problems, it puts me off watching (I mean Notorious was on the other day and although I love BIG´s music I could not watch it again!)
Now it could be that despite growing up in Hackney and quite vividly remembering when Lower Clapton was called ´Murder Mile´; gang culture and down and outness was not and has never been my life experience so therefore I cannot relate to what I see on the TV screen or is it that TV is depicting the real black experience and the black experience is actually as depicted -depressing?!
The reason I ask is whilst watching a recent talk show hosted by a successful black women, someone I was watching it with commented: ´do you ever notice that these things (black shows/media) are always focused on the negative´ or words to that effect.
Now to be honest at that point I was just enjoying the show in terms of the lively party atmosphere, however the more I thought about it the more I felt inclined to agree.
There were moments where the show got emotional; particularly when it came to the guests. Some of which were so overcome at being on the show in the first place; and they were saying things like: ´You know when you work so hard and have so many knock backs etc etc´ and 'when I saw these poor kids etc etc´ and the host who appears to have a healthy dose of self esteemed ´understood´ her guests ´pain´, ´tears´ and ´heartache´. It was both happy because they made it, but sad because there was also struggle.
Now I know, what your thinking, Boyz In Da Hood and the films mentioned above are quite old so you could argue the black films of today do not deal with such depressing subject matter, and there are plenty of great comedic black films, however recent films such as Precious, For Coloured Girls and Why Did I Get Married (I know all Tyler Perry films) have quite depressing subject matter - ok Why Did I Get Married is not so much depressing however, the two films most definitely depicted some very dysfunctional characters.
Even in music... I see a hoodie and a council estate and I've lost all interest!
I hear lyrics like 'I had nothing, now I have something' (usually money, girls and cars) and it all leaves me feeling depressed!
Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking anyone in particular and I paid my money and watched Why Did I Get Married Too just like everybody else because lets face it, its nice to watch a film and see black people it in!
But how about an action/romantic/thriller comedy the likes of Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz but with a black leading male and female?
Or is it that black people are defined by struggle? and so that is what film, TV and music depict?
