BARACK vs 50: MANHOOD, POWER, AND RESPECT

[DJ KILLA RAN]

PLEASE CHECK THIS LINK OUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? PLEASE SEND FEEDBACK.

http://www.bhurt.com/barackandcurtis.php

September 16, 2008

I am proud to be a part of the Black Masculinity Project, a project of the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC). Like many other filmmakers who applied for this, I was required to submit to them three ideas for a short documentary (10 minutes or less) that examined various aspects of black masculinity. Of the three ideas I had, NBPC chose the one that was actually a last minute idea.

The idea for Barack & Curtis came to me the night before NBPC's deadline. I conceived the short doc just as Barack Obama was emerging as a presidential front-runner. I thought, "Why not create a short doc that discussed Barack Obama's masculinity in a way I had not yet seen." I wanted to make something that was topical, clever, fresh, unique, and off the beaten path. A political junkie, I was intrigued by Obama's rise to political rock stardom. The more I watched Obama stumping on the campaign trail, the more I found his cool presentation of manhood interesting and refreshing. On the surface, Obama's manhood appeared to be the polar opposite of the stereotypical images of black masculinity we've come to expect from hip-hop and popular culture.

When I tell people about Barack & Curtis, most people's first reaction is laughter. Or, they'll say, "I know who Barack is, but who's Curtis?" After I explain who "Curtis" is and what the piece is about, people generally say, "Wow, now that sounds interesting. I can't wait to see it!"

"Curtis" is rapper/mogul Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Why would I compare/contrast the masculinity of Barack Obama, an "upstanding" statesman-like presidential candidate, with 50 Cent, a "lowly" gangsta rapper, right? Well, because Barack Obama is THE MAN right now, who is shattering so many myths about black masculinity, and because 50 Cent, who was just named Forbes Magazine's top-earning rapper, currently embodies gangsta hip-hop masculinity like no other. Both are successful Black men. Both are rock stars. Both are admired and feared. I thought that juxtaposing the two in a short doc would make for historic level conversations.


I'm very happy with the final product, but I have to admit, I wish I could have made a much longer piece. I interviewed a lot of heavyweights who really know politics, gender, and hip-hop. Unfortunately, because the online piece had to be limited to 9 minutes and 58 seconds, I couldn't include them all. The piece you will see in October merely scratches the surface, and is a subject worthy of more time and attention.

The Black Masculinity Project and Barack & Curtis are scheduled to premiere online the first week of October. I want you to see some of the material that hit the cutting room floor, so I will release some of my favorite interviews and clips leading up to its launch. The first one starts this week.

I hope you'll watch Barack & Curtis online and then forward everywhere. Help spread the word by posting it to your blogs, social networking sites, websites, and listservs. Talk about it with your friends, co-workers, and family.

One final note: Barack & Curtis is in no way intended to create a negative association between Barack Obama and 50 Cent. Anyone who would suggest that mis-understands what my piece is all about. Furthermore, anyone who uses Barack & Curtis to smear Barack Obama in any way, is either ignorant, or morally bankrupt. In no way do I want to damage Barack Obama's historic presidential campaign. In no way am I suggesting that Barack Obama is down with G-Unit or is a gangsta rapper cleverly disguised as a presidential candidate. Neither is Barack & Curtis intended to glorify 50 Cent. Instead, the piece is my attempt to humanize 50 Cent, examine two very different Black men who express their masculinity in two very different ways, and who took two very different paths to achieve manhood, power, and respect.

In the end, I hope Barack & Curtis spreads all over the world over the Internet, igniting a powerful online conversation about Barack Obama, 50 Cent, and the range of black masculinity in between.

God bless,

[ALONDUS]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST GOT THROUGH WATCHING THE MINI DOCUMENTARY AND HERE IS MY OPINION!
BEFORE I START, I WILL WARN YOU THAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY SOME REAL BUT RAW THINGS IN REFERENCE TO THE BLACK MAN AND THEIR MANHOOD, POWER AND RESPECT! SO SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT WANNA READ THIS!

BARACK!
THIS IS A MAN THAT EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT GROW UP IN THE HOOD, MAY NOT HAVE HAD TO SELL DRUGS, AND HAD MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN A LOT OF US HAVE HAD WHEN IT COMES TO A BLACK MAN, IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ANALYZE THE KNOWN FACTS OF HIS INTELLIGIENCE, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THE BATTLES THAT HE HAS HAD TO ENCOUNTER WERE NO JOKE! I AM SURE HE ALWAYS HAVE HAD SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IN THE WAY OF HIS SUCCESS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN! HIS ABILITY TO LOOK PAST THAT AND SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE, STRIVE FOR IT, AND ACHIEVE IT IS WHAT I ADMIRE ABOUT HIM THE MOST!THEN ON TOP OF THAT HE HAS A STRONG AND INTELLIGENT BLACK WOMAN BY HIS SIDE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY THAT SUPPORTS HIM WHOLE-HEARTEDLY. HE HAS ALSO PROVEN THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A HEALTHY PERSONAL LIFE AND CAREER AT THE SAME TIME INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER!

CURTIS!
THE DEFINITION OF A BAD ASS! ANYWAY, THIS MAN GOES ABOUT HIS IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MANNER! NO HE DOES NO HAVE A DEGREE, NOR IS HE A SENATOR , LAWYER, OR DOCTOR; HOWEVR, YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE TO PROVE THAT YOU ARE A GENIOUS! THIS MAN STARTED WITH NOTHING, GOT KNOCKED DOWN TIME AFTER TIME AND ALWAYS SEEM TO GET BACK UP FOR ONE MORE ROUND! THIS MAN TURN ALL HIS PROBLEMS INTO MONEY AND SUCCESS! ALTHOUGH I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL OF HIS DECISIONS, I CANNOT DENY HIS HUSTLE! THE LIFE HE LIVES IS NOT FOR ME TO JUDGE BUT TO LEARN!

IN COMPARISON TO THE BLACK MAN AND THIER MACULINITY, SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT THE TYPICAL MAN THAT PRESENTS HIMSELF AS AN OBAMA WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS GAY OR SOFT AND AND REAL MAN WOULD BE A CURTIS. AND I HATE TO ADMIT IT BUT WE AS WOMEN HAVE ALOT TO DO WITH THAT!

AS A LIL GIRL, IT WAS DRILED IN MY HEAD TO GROW UP AND MARRY A SUCCESSFUL DOCTOR, LAWYER, ECT...BUT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HARDHEAD, I WAS ATTRACTED TO JUST THE OPPOSITE! SO WHAT DO MEN GO OUT AND DO? TRY TO PLEASE THE WOMEN. THEY BECOME WHAT THEY THINK WE WANT...A THUG! WOMEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH POWER THEY HAVE! IF WE ARE SMART ABOUT IT, WE CAN TAKE BACK OUR BLACK MEN AND MAKE A BETTER FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME! ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS........................

"TAKE OUR PLACE IN THE RELATIONSHIP"

THERE, I SAID IT!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THERE IS SO MUCH POWER IN THAT AND SOME WOMEN JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT!

REMEMBER THE PHRASE "MEN WANT A LADY IN THE STREETS AND A FREAK IN THE BED!" READ BETWEEN THE LINES LADIES! DON'T BE SIMPLE-MINDED AND TAKE IT VERBATIM! THE SAME GOES FOR WOMEN, WELL I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF ON THIS ONE! I PERSONALLY LIKE A MAN WITH A BALANCE BETWEEN BARACK AND CURTIS! SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THAT THERE IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, CAN MAKE RATIONAL DECISIONS WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERYONE IN HIS FAMILY IN MIND! SOMEONE WITH A SENSE OF PROTECTION AND DRIVE TO PROVIDE THE BEST LIFE AND FUTURE FOR HE AND HIS FAMILY! AND IT IS SAD TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NOT MANY MEN LIKE THAT AROUND NOW!

BARACK AND CURTIS!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR BOTH! FIRST OF ALL AS A BLACK MAN, FOR THIER HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FOR THIER ACHIEVEMENTS!

FAILURE WAS NOT AN OPTION! NO MORE EXCUSES! ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

ALONDUS

THE CORE MODELS WORLDWIDE