THE HISTORY CHANNEL IS LAUNCHING A
FOUR-PART MINISERIES OF ROOTS, A
MODERN VERSION OF IT, AND THERE
IS ONE PUBLIC FIGURE THAT ISN'T
TOO HAPPY ABOUT THIS RELAUNCH.
IT IS SNOOP DOGG.
IN FACT, HE
BELIEVES THIS DOES MORE HARM
THAN GOOD FOR THE BLACK
COMMUNITY.
TAKE A LOOK AT A
POST HE PUT UP ON INSTAGRAM
EXPLAINING WHY.
>> NO DISRESPECT, BUT I CAN'T
WATCH NO MORE MOTHER BUCKING
BLACK MOVIES, 12 YEARS A SLAVE,
ROOTS, I CAN'T WATCH NONE OF
THAT SHIP.
I'M SICK OF THAT
SHIP, HOW THE FOCUS THEY CAN
APPLY ROOTS ON MEMORIAL DAY.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA KEEP BEATEN
THAT SHE AND HER HEADS ABOUT HOW
THEY GET US, HUH?
I DON'T
UNDERSTAND IT MAN.
THEY JUST
WANT TO KEEP SHOWING THE ABUSE
THAT WE TOOK HUNDREDS OF YEARS
AGO, BUT GUESS WHAT?
WE ARE
TAKING THE SAME ABUSE.
THINK
ABOUT THAT PART.
WHEN ARE Y'ALL
GONNA MAKE A MOTHER FREAKING
SERIES ABOUT THE SUCCESS THAT
BLACK BOOKS ARE HAVINGÖ SUCCESS
WE HAVE OUR ROOTS AND 12 YEARS A
SLAVE, SHIP LIKE THAT.
BRONCHIAL, I'M NOT WATCHING THAT
SHIP AND I ADVISE REAL PEOPLE
LIKE ME TO DO THE SAME.
LET'S
BLACK IS WHAT REAL.
TALK THAT OLD CHIT.
>> HE DOES KEEP IT REAL.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR
THAT.
>> I LOVE ANYONE WHO TRIES TO
MAKE A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT BY
REFERRING TO THE PEOPLE HE IS
SPEAKING TO AS MOTHER FOKKER'S.
>> IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A
RACIAL ARGUMENT AGAINST ROOTS,
I'M NOT SURE WOULD'VE USE THE
INWARD, BUT THAT IS SNOOP'S
DECISION NOT MY DECISION.
IT
BORDERS ON THE IRONIC.
IN IT, I
UNDERSTAND HIS FRUSTRATION.
I
THINK HIS ANGER IS A BIT
MISDIRECTED SO I DON'T AGREE
WITH HIM, BUT IF YOU ARE A BLACK
MAN IN AMERICA I CAN SEE HOW IT
WEARS ON YOU.
HOW MANY OF THESE
MOVIES I AM I GOING TO HAVE TO
WATCH OF US BEING ABUSED AND
MUTILATED AND ENSLAVED.
IT
WEARS ON YOUR SOUL.
I THINK
THAT IS HIS FRUSTRATION COMING
OUT.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS
PART OF OUR HISTORY AND MOST
PEOPLE WANT TO IGNORE THAT
HISTORY AND I THINK IT IS
ACTUALLY A GOOD THING TO SHOW IT
AND IT DOESN'T HELP TO HIDE IT.
>> YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE FACT
THAT IN STATES LIKE TEXAS, THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION IS DOING
EVERYTHING IT CAN TO WHITEWASH
HISTORY BOOKS AND SOCIAL STUDIES
BOOKS TO ENSURE THAT CIVIL
RIGHTS LEADERS AREN'T
REPRESENTED, TO ENSURE THAT
CONSERVATIVE VALUES ARE
REPRESENTED ñ OVERREPRESENTED,
WE ARE DEALING WITH THAT.
WE
ARE ALSO DEALING WITH THE FACT
THAT THERE IS A HUGE POPULATION
OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT
NOW THAT EITHER DON'T KNOW THE
REALITY OF WHAT BLACK PEOPLE HAD
TO DEAL WITH HIS COUNTRY OR, IF
THEY DO KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY
WANT TO BRUSH UNDER THE RUG AND
PRETEND LIKE IT DID NOT EXIST.
THEY WHAT'S WHITEWASH IT
THEMSELVES.
I SEE IN IMPORTANCE
OF HAVING A MINISERIES LIKE
ROOTS ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL.
I
ALSO AGREE WITH HIM IN THAT A
LOT OF SHOWS ON TELEVISION AND I
AM NOT TALKING ABOUT SITCOMS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, I AM TALKING
ABOUT NONFICTION TYPE SHOWS
DON'T REALLY FOCUS ON THE
SUCCESSES OF BLACK PEOPLE.
I
THINK THAT IS UNDERREPRESENTED
AND SO I UNDERSTAND HIS
FRUSTRATION ON THAT.
WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE
PRODUCTION MEETING AND BEEN
DISAGREED WITH ME.
HE BROUGHT
UP SHOWS LIKE BLACKISH.
NOT TO BRING HIM UP BECAUSE HE
CAN'T REALLY DEFEND HIMSELF.
>> AND EMPIRE AND SCANDAL.
>> THOSE ARE NOT SHOWS BASED ON
REAL PEOPLE.
WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE TODAY WHO ARE
SUCCEEDING.
DON'T GET ANY LOVE
IN THE PRESS, WHO DON'T GET ANY
ATTENTION IN THE PRESS.
I GET
IT, AND THE REASON WHY A SHOW
LIKE BLACKISH IS DOING SO WELL
IS BECAUSE IT POKES FUN AT ALL
THE STEREOTYPES THE BLACK
COMMUNITY HAS TO DEAL WITH.
IS
ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL BLACK FAMILY
KIND OF RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT
ALL OF THESE ISSUES THAT BLACK
PEOPLE HAD TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE
OF THE STEREOTYPES.
>> I AM NOT SURE THERE ARE A LOT
OF NONFICTION JUST ABOUT
SUCCESSFUL WHITE FOLKS.
>> MAYBE I'M WRONG ABOUT THAT,
THERE'S ONE CALLED THE
APPRENTICE WHERE SO-CALLED
SUCCESSFUL WHITE MAN FIRES
EVERYBODY.
>> YEAH.
>> I HEAR YOU ON THAT, BUT LOOK,
BEN ALSO WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE
ORIGINAL ROOTS, WHEN HE WAS
GROWING UP, SHAPED A LOT OF HIS
WORLDVIEW AND PART OF WHAT MADE
HIM A LIBERAL.
THAT IS NOT A BAD THING, THAT IS
A GOOD THING GOT.
>> I KNOW IT IS, THAT IS WHY I
LIKE ROOTS AND I WANT THE
HISTORY CHANNEL TO DO IT, BUT I
ALSO UNDERSTAND HALF OF SNOOP
DOGG'S FRUSTRATIONS WHEN HE SAYS
THAT HE DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE
GOOD THINGS THAT BLACK PEOPLE
ARE DOING TODAY ARE BEING
COVERED ARE REPRESENTED IN THE
MEDIA.
>> LET'S GO TO A SUCCESSFUL
BLACK MAN RIGHT NOW IN THE
STUDIO WHO IS GOING TO
ADJUDICATE THIS PRESS.
SNOOP DOGG, RIGHT OR WRONG.
JR JACKSON, GO.
>> SNOOP IS RIGHT.
CAN BE BOTH
SIDES.
HE IS NOT GOING TO WRITE
WATCH IT, THAT'S COOL.
HE IS
TRYING TO TELL ALL THE REST OF
THE REAL PEOPLE NOT TO WATCH IT
TOO.
THAT'S COOL.
HE CAN HAVE
THAT OPINION, THAT IS ALL RIGHT.
IT'S TRUE, WE NEED TOGETHER
THINGS DONE.
I RAN INTO THIS
GUY MONTHS AGO IN THE GROCERY
STORE WHO WAS VERY MUCH
ASSOCIATED WITH THE OLDER BLACK
PANTHER PARTY.
THE BLACK
PANTHER PARTY THAT NO ONE KNEW
ABOUT.
HE WAS FRUSTRATED THAT
THE ONLY THING THAT IS ALWAYS
TALKED ABOUT AND REALLY
PORTRAYED IS THE PEACEFUL
PROTESTS IN THE WAY THINGS WERE
DONE WITH BLACK FOLKS IN THE
CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.
HE SAID
THAT'S COOL, THAT IS WHAT
HAPPENED, BUT NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT
HOW, SOME PEOPLE WERE LIKE KNOW
WE WERE FIGHTING BACK AND THEY
WON A LOT OF BATTLES.
THAT IS
HIS PERSPECTIVE.
HE LIKE THAT
PART BECAUSE HE WAS LIKE WE WERE
BEING ATTACKED AND THEY KEPT
WANTING TO SAY THAT WE WERE
GETTING HUNG AND POWERED OVER
AND BEING SHOT AND RIPPED APART,
HE GOES KNOW, WE THOUGHT BACK.
HE WANTED THAT ALSO TO BE
PRETRADE, NOT TO BE DISPARAGED
WHAT ALWAYS GETS SAID BUT HE
WANTS BOTH SIDES.
THE WORRY IS
THAT IT'LL INSPIRE PEOPLE NOW TO
BE LIKE YEAH, GONNA DO IT TOO
BECAUSE AS YOU'VE SEEN THE NEW
BLACK PANTHER PARTY AS THAT
SHOWN ON TV SOMETIMES IS LOOK AT
THESE DANGEROUS BLACK MEN.
THEY
WANT TO KEEP THAT PERSPECTIVE ON
THAT AND NOT SEE AS ANYTHING
ELSE.
THEY DON'T INSPIRE ANYONE
ELSE TO BE ANGRY OR VIOLENT OR
FIGHT BACK SO THEY NEVER FIND ñ
TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
60S.
THEY DON'T WANT THAT PART.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE HE WAS
COMING FROM 2.
GO AHEAD AND
GIVE THE STORIES ABOUT HOW WE
GOT THE ASS KICKED AROUND A LOT
BUT GIVE THE STORIES ABOUT HOW
FAR WE'VE COME.
NO ONE BELIEVES
IT, THEY THINK ALL THOSE BLACK
FOLKS ARE STILL POOR.
THERE ARE
SUCCESSFUL BLACK FOLKS BUT
PEOPLE DON'T THINK SO.
THEY THINK IT IS ONE IN 1
MILLION.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
IN
THE HBO MOVIE ALL THE WAY,
THAT'S MAINLY ABOUT LBJ, THERE
IS A HUGE STORY LINE ABOUT MLK
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON
IN THE TIME.
YOU ACTUALLY DO
SEE BY PEOPLE FIGHTING BACK AND
MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THAT
REALLY SCARED WHITE FOLKS.
WHETHER IT WAS NONVIOLENCE BUT
VERY STRONG PROTEST OF MARTIN
LUTHER KING OR THE OCCASIONAL
RIOTS, EVEN LYNDON JOHNSON WAS
KIND OF WITH THEM BUT NOT FULLY
COMMENDED WAS LIKE RIOTS,
COMMITTED.
LITTLE BIT MORE
COMMITTED.
LET'S RESOLVE THIS.
THAT WILL SCARE PEOPLE, JR RIGHT
NOW IF YOU DIDÖ IF YOU SHOWED
THE TRUE COMPLEXITY OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS ERA.
IT WAS LARGELY THE
NONVIOLENCE THAT WORDS, BUT
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF STUFF
HAPPENING IN THE STREETS THAT
ALSO WAS A FACTOR IN THAT
DECISION-MAKING.
THE REALITY OF
THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY IS ONCE I
HAD ALL THE WEAPONS, THE OTHER
SIDE DIDN'T HAVE ANY WEAPONS,
AND IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
FIGHT BACK.
THERE WERE MANY
HEROIC STORIES OF PEOPLE
FIGHTING BACK BUT IT WOUND UP
WITH THEM BEING KILLED.
IT IS
HARD TO COME UP WITH A STORY
THAT DIDN'T.
THAT'S PART OF WHY
I LIKE JINGO UNCHANGED BECAUSE
IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL RELEASE,
WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN COOL IF
THIS HAPPENED INSTEAD.
THAT'S
ALSO WHY I LOVE THE OTHER
QUINTERO TO MOVIE, INGLORIOUS
PASTORS.
WOULDN'T IT HAVE "THIS
HAPPENED INSTEAD INSTEAD OF
HAVING TO WATCH ANOTHER
HOLOCAUST MOVIE WERE THE VICTIMS
DIE.
THAT WAS THE REALITY
UNFORTUNATELY.
I LOVE THE
REPURPOSED THING IN THE
REIMAGINING THAT TARANTINO DID
IN THOSE TWO INSTANCES FOR
EXPRESSLY BECAUSE OF THAT
FRUSTRATION BUT FINALLY, IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND THE REAL HISTORY
BECAUSE YES, THERE ARE A LOT OF
SUCCESSFUL BLACK PEOPLE IN
AMERICA TODAY, BUT ON AVERAGE,
IT IS MUCH HARDER FOR AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN AMERICA BECAUSE AS
I HAVE EXPLAINED BEFORE, ON
AVERAGE, THESE ARE ROUGH NUMBERS
FROM AN EARLIER STORY WE DID A
WHILE BACK, AND AVERAGE WHITE
KID BEING BORN INTO A WHITE
FAMILY, THAT WHITE FAMILY HAS
ABOUT HUNDRED AND $50,000 IN
WEALTH.
AN AVERAGE BLACK KID
BORN INTO AN AVERAGE LIKE FAMILY
THAT KID ONLY HAS $11,000 IN
WEALTH.
THAT DISPARITY SO
GIGANTIC AND YES, THAT IS A
LEGACY OF SLAVERY AND JIM CROW
AND ALL OF THE DISCRIMINATION
BECAUSE THAT DISPARITY DID NOT
HAPPEN OVERNIGHT DIET HAPPENED
OF THE COURSE OF TIME, IT IS
SUPER IMPORTANT FOR YOU KNOW
THAT CONTEXT ARE.
>> IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO
KNOW THAT CONTEXT BUT THAT IS
WHY IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO
TELL STORIES OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO
HAVE SUCCEEDED DESPITE NOT BEING
ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
AS
YOU GUYS WERE TALKING I
REMEMBERED MISTY COPELAND AND
HOW THE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HER,
AMOS BLACK BALLERINA, DID SO
WELL AND IT DID SO WELL BECAUSE
SHE HAD TO GO THROUGH SO MUCH
MORE JUST TO SUCCEED AS ONE OF
THE FIRST BLACK BALLERINAS THAT
WAS PART OF, I FORGET THE NAME
OF THE BALLERINA GROUP SHE IS
PART OF, I APOLOGIZE, BUT HER
STORY WAS INSPIRING AND I THINK
IN TELLING INSPIRING STORIES
LIKE THAT NOT ONLY EDUCATES THE
PUBLIC ABOUT THE REALITIES OF
THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT ALSO
INSPIRES BLACK KIDS WHO ARE IN
UNDERPRIVILEGED SITUATIONS.
THAT IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY.
I GET SNOOP DOGG'S ARGUMENT WHEN
HE SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH HE
DIDN'T SAY IN THE BEST WAY.
>> DON'T GET ME WRONG.
IS NEW ALLOWED TO HAVE HIS OWN
OPINION?
OF COURSE NOT.
>> NO, IT'S NOT ALLOWED.
>> HE CAN THINK WHATEVER HE
WANTS TO THINK AND I GET THAT IT
HURTS TO SEE IT.
FINALLY, YOU
HAD THE GREAT FIGHTERS IN WORLD
WAR II WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN,
LIKE THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN AND
OTHERS AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO
SERVED IN WORLD WAR II - I READ
THEIR ACCOUNTS, GEORGE
MCGOVERN ETC., WHEN THEY SAW
THOSE BLACK PILOTS COMING IN,
THEY WOULD THINK OH, THANK GOD.
THAT CHANGED THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MOVIES MADE
ABOUT THEM AND TO GET THAT
PERSPECTIVE OF THESE HEROIC
FIGHTERS WHO WHEN OTHER WHITE
AMERICANS SAW THEM THEY THOUGHT
HERE COMES THE CALVARY ALMOST
LITERALLY.
YOU ALSO HAVE TO
SHOW THE REALITY THAT AS JESSE
JACKSON ONCE EXPLAINED, WHEN HIS
DAD CAME BACK IN THE WAR, HE HAD
TO SIT IN THE BACK OF THE TRAIN
AND THEY HAD THE NAZI CAPTURED
SOLDIER SITTING IN FRONT OF HIM
BECAUSE THEY WERE WHITE.
THAT
IS ALSO A REALITY AND NOT TOO
DISTANT PAST.
THAT IS THE FULL
RANGE OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS
IN THIS COUNTRY.