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TALKIN' VIDEOS - the latest HATE on Hip-Hop TV, Movies and Music Videos

Boondocks: Two For The Price of None

Posted on March 21, 2006 1:11 PM

Aiight, due to technical difficulties I am hitting y’all with the one-two punch this week. As I am sure you loyal “Boondocks” fans know last night was the season finale. But, since I was a week behind I thought I would tackle the last two episodes in my final post for the season.

boondocks-huey.gifLet’s kick things off with last night’s episode, “The Passion Of Rev. Ruckus.” Now, I am sure some people were offended by last night’s episode, but like Dogma (shout out to Kevin Smith) and my new favorite flick V for Vendetta, the intent of last night’s show—in my opinion—was to offend in order to spark debate. That said, they wasted no time and got right into in the first scene when Ronald Regan greets Uncle Ruckus at the gates of White Heaven.

“[White Heaven] is for decent, good God-fearing Christians who just happen to hate everyone and everything related to Black people….Turns out that God doesn’t really have that much of a problem with racism. He doesn’t even remember slavery, except in February…. Personally, I hate Black people, Ruckus. That’s why I did everything I could to make their lives miserable. Crack, me. AIDS, me. Reganomics… come on, I am in the name.”

As ridiculous as Regan’s monologue may seem to some, I have to believe there are a certain group of people who either firmly believe this or pray for it every night before they lay their blond-haired, blue-eyed heads down to sleep. And let me not get into “The Duke.” Let’s just say Regan getting Alzheimer’s almost seemed ironic. A man who pushed a racist elitist agenda for eight years only to have no memory of it two decades later. Makes you think doesn’t it, George?

The show’s secondary storyline, Huey’s attempt to save a political prisoner by the name of Shabazz K. Milton Berle hit particularly close to home for me. See kids, back in the days before blackberrys and tivos, your boy Dark was really down with the cause. That was before I sold out to the man… but that’s another story. I do, however, commend Aaron McGruder for yet again touching on an issue I doubt many others would have.

Meanwhile, with the help of Armstrong Elders, a Black Republican who bears a striking resemblance to Armstrong Williams, Rev. Ruckus quickly gains a following. He even hits the talk show circuit with gems like, “Black people are cursed… Just look around you. That’s why we in the ghetto… That’s why we in jail… That’s why we on UPN… because God don’t like us. You think if God wanted to change that, he couldn’t? Hell, he turned water to wine; he could have changed UPN to CBS.”

Religious figures and politicians working together? Who would have ever thought it? Not me… Separation of church and state, and all that. (Side note: I highly recommend V for Vendetta… It tackles all of this.)

In the end, justice prevails as Shabazz gets a last minute pardon, thanks to Huey who blindly threatens to out the Governor (shout out to my peoples in the Garden State), and Ruckus’ self-hating ministry crumbles when he struck by lightning. The juxtaposition of the lightning both saving Shabazz and stopping Ruckus was poetic… and deep. A great way to end the first season.

While I enjoyed last night’s episode, last week’s episode, “The Block Is Hot,” has to rank in my top three episodes of the season. It goes right up there with TK and TK.

The episode pays fitting homage to the Spike Lee classic Do The Right Thing. From the heat to Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” playing on Huey’s boombox, the not-so-subtle references were great.

However the episode wasn’t all about that. Ed Wuncler’s buyout of Jazmine’s Lemonade Parade (with backwards e’s for the cuteness factor) was purely symbolic of big businesses taking out the mom and pop stores of yesteryear. Wuncler even drops a subliminal hip-hop jewel when he says, “Lemonade was a popular drink in my day… And it still is.” (I know you all know that classic verse?) Whether it is Starbuck’s or Wal-Mart, the corporate machine has eaten up everything from hardware stores to record stores.

Wuncler also lays down a bit of pimp philosophies like, ““Make your next move your best move;” and “Where’s my money?” all before selling Jazmine out with his own “cruelty-free” lemonade. Big business wins again.

So, I guess, that does it for me… First off, let me say I appreciate you cats for reading and sharing all your comments, positive and negative, especially negative. And until I have the privilege of penning another SOHH blog, you guys can check me out in the news dept and at my other online home away from home… You guys can check out some of my other rants there.

D-A-R-K

Posted by Dark Kent

Comments

  • skdamc says...
  • "Lemonade was a popular drink and it stikll is..." GURU, Gangstar, "D.W.Y.C.K.
    I found the Uncle Rukus ep kinda off-putting and not particulary funny. It was filed with irony and that Ronald Reagan shit was the truth. I'm not sure if any of you remember when he was cutting school lunchs and to justfy the unjustifiable he procalimed katsup caounted as a vegetable. There is a God because he suffered in his final years. Uncle Rukus' part kinda went to far almost like a drunk uncle at you family get together who days or does something totally inappropriate and he is the only one who thinks it's funny. I found Huey praying and that tearstain on his cheek paticularly poingnant. I know; it's just a cartoon but this was the most thought provoking by far. That leamonade ep was funny, especially when Riley was like'All the money I done spent up in this piece?" hilarious....

  • March 21, 2006 1:29 PM
  • BITCH BOY KILLAJ says...
  • The boondocks is agreat show dont read so deep into it there just joke im a cop that season 1 dvd when it come out

  • March 21, 2006 3:58 PM
  • Kornphlake says...
  • is there any place on the internet that I can get those shows to watch? I missed the last one, and youtube stopped letting people put them on there. So if anyone knows anything throw me a bone.

  • March 21, 2006 4:03 PM
  • Mr. Wade says...
  • Good show but the "nigger" shock value is getting lame. I dont even use the word that much.

  • March 21, 2006 4:12 PM
  • Randy says...
  • NIGGER NIGGER NIGGER NIGGER NIGGERNIGGERNIGGERNIGGERNIGGER

    NOW GO KILL YOURSELF


    Adultswim release the boxset, now!

  • March 21, 2006 4:17 PM
  • daze says...
  • Kornphlake-

    Try bittorrent or limewire.

    "First of all, I'mma live foreva... but if I do die: I'll go smack god upside the head and go tell him to get me a grilled cheese sandwich and some tacos..."

    F-ing classic...

  • March 21, 2006 4:32 PM
  • KISS MY ASS says...
  • that last episode was hella sharp... im surprised nobody touched on the "power of prayer" motif runnin through the show... but still,mcgruder killed it and i dont think he went too far, i jes think he's mastered the realm of satire... the more outrageous the satire, the more thought provokin it is... and that shit was definitely thought provokin...

  • March 21, 2006 4:40 PM
  • UDONTKNOWME says...
  • "GET YO BLACK BANANA PEELING HANDS OFF ME NIGGA!"
    - UNCLE RUCKUS

    THAT SHIT WAS HELLA FUNNY

  • March 21, 2006 4:49 PM
  • liliverson718 says...
  • Sunday's episode was both funny and thought provoking.I was telling my mom about it on the way to school and as she laughed at uncle rukus's bullshit sermons and huey's blackmailing of the governer, she told me that there are some black people in this world who are actually like that. I then realized how sad our people are, that there is a group of us that actually hate ourselves.I hate niggers and black folks who shuck and jive like black any other person with some good common sence and home training, but to hate all black people? That to me is a little too far....

  • March 21, 2006 5:02 PM
  • Mr. Wade says...
  • NIGGER NIGGER NIGGER NIGGER NIGGERNIGGERNIGGERNIGGERNIGGER

    NOW GO KILL YOURSELF


    Adultswim release the boxset, now!

    Posted by: Randy at March 21, 2006 04:17 PM

    Why am I not surprised.
    Good Night People!

  • March 21, 2006 5:04 PM
  • Supreme says...
  • The Boondocks is the funniest show on adultswim. and to Kornphlake if you download limewire u can watch them im makin some gwop off them dvds at school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. and thank u D-A-R-K FOR takin the time out to post a blog about the show see ya next season!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • March 21, 2006 5:39 PM
  • stopusingthewordnigga says...

  • Im on here to spread a message about black peoples use of the word "Nigga".

    It is indeed curious that we are the ONLY group in this country who agressively uses oppressor-created labels of hatred and marginalization as "terms of endearment". The popular use of the terms only means that too many of us have become mired in comfortable absurdity.

    This is about how we truly see ourselves. To adopt the slavemaster`s labels and to make excuses for them is to, in effect, embrace the slavemaster`s vision of the world and our place in it. If not, why would so many of us call each other a term rooted in slavery and oppression of our descendents and people not so far removed from us?

    There are Black people, African Americans, who think that it is okay to call each other nigga and that today other groups of people can call us niggas too. The excuse is that it is a sign of the times, a change in the language? Do we believe that we should just roll with it, and that`s just the way it is? I guess it would be okay today, in 2006, if white people called us niggas to our face too. Let`s take the example of two Bobs on a job, one Black, one White. Would it be okay to refer to the Black Bob as Nigga Bob, you know, just to distinguish the two?

    We talk about using it as a term of endearment, white people did that too. It was nothing for a slave owner to refer to his "best" slave as "my nigga" and the slave would grin from ear to ear.

    It is time for us to think about the generations of people who helped pave the way for us. All the blood and sweat was not wasted, but I feel the struggle for equality and oneness is slowly being killed. It is being killed by this double standard in the use of language. This one word in our language has evolved from the depths of ignorance and hatred to take a place in the vocabularies of those it was meant to insult.

    Peace

  • March 21, 2006 8:15 PM
  • Big Gee says...
  • Jail Nigga.....

    You Gay!

  • March 21, 2006 8:34 PM
  • BLAST4ME says...
  • UH HEM,Excuse me.

    Why Have I not seen any coverage or mention, or paying of respect for the passing of ProfessorX:One of the pioneers of conscious hip-hop, Black Watch Movement Leader, X-Clan group member, son of the late Freedom Fighter Sonny Carson.

    Did I miss something?
    Or did sohh?

    Anyone, please?

  • March 21, 2006 8:34 PM
  • BigCav says...
  • You guys should go see CRASH or ATWONE FISHER or something productive, jesus christ, you complain when their is no Black TV shows and no Black Movies and no Black network besides BET.

    WE NEED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER OR WE ARE NEVER GOING TO PROSPER>~!

    Also, i would strongly recommend coverting to judiasm. I am naturally a Jew and i gotta say that its a strong relgion fellas.... Keeps ya alive every damn day!

  • March 21, 2006 8:43 PM
  • BLAST4ME says...
  • The talmud says black people are the result of a curse put on Ham.

    No convert here.

  • March 21, 2006 8:49 PM
  • Stupid Ass Sam says...
  • Who am I? WHERE am I? What am I doing here?

  • March 21, 2006 10:20 PM
  • EnglandRepresent says...
  • stopusingthewordnigga : Yo, can it be true son, is that you homey? I ain;t seen you on these blogs for a minute, how ya livin brother?

  • March 21, 2006 10:58 PM
  • PastorOfTheWeakAtChurch says...
  • stopusinthewordnigga

    Nigga, i thought i ran you off my block already, take a look at ya life and you will see that, your a peon compared to the great pastor, i tell niggas that it aint good to say the word nigga, cuz niggas need to know the message about the word nigga, you got it nigga?

  • March 21, 2006 11:55 PM
  • dookie says...
  • i got the whole 1st season and man its funny....

  • March 22, 2006 6:31 AM
  • youusethewordniggainyoname says...
  • Hey stop using the word nigga-

    if there was two bobs in my office then i would call the white one bob and the black one bobby. OR i would call them by they last names since i am in the military....and i would shank a Cracka if they called me nigga. stop trying to tell me that i cant say it. you aint my daddy and you dont pay my bills. NIGGA.

  • March 22, 2006 10:58 AM
  • Essex says...
  • Start the Revolution

  • March 22, 2006 11:03 AM
  • ONE says...
  • "Also, i would strongly recommend coverting to judiasm. I am naturally a Jew and i gotta say that its a strong relgion fellas.... Keeps ya alive every damn day!"- BigCav

    I've been alive every day and I am not a Jew

  • March 22, 2006 12:17 PM
  • Randy says...
  • I find something very interesting about those who advocate the postion to stop using the word "nigger". I have asked this question in the past without a response. Maybe the question is to rudimentary for the intellectuals that post and to "high brow" for the internet gangsters. Anyway, are there any other "English" terms that offend you or is it just those words that are meant to devalue you racially? The reason I ask is that there is a country spelled "Niger". As a child I wondered how it was pronounced. Being enrolled in a southern public elementary school, there was no one that knew, to any degree of certainty, how the word was pronouced. Well years later the country made it to the mainstream news and here I learned it was acceptable to pronounce it "Na-jer". So here is my question if the word was pronounced different would it make a difference?
    My next question is how do other words that come from the former/present day colonizer's language make you feel? Such as African American. Does not knowing your nationality offend you like the term "nigger"? The fact that so called "niggers" have lost all of our birth rights, that includes land and resources. So a word as powerful as it may seem for others it really isn't that deep for the rest of us.

    Big Up my Nigger Aaron & the Ruckus' of the world.

  • March 23, 2006 1:15 PM
  • izzle says...
  • what I really got from the show was from Ruckus' part. In the final sermon he has some valid points. I got from it that whites hate niggas and as much as they do, niggas hate niggas too. I know he had everybody thinkin when he said "I bet you can name 10 niggas you hate right now...(couple of second pause, and Tom starts counting), I bet you got 5 already...DeMarcus,..., Usher" Then Tom gets fired up again and Tom starts sayin how he Hates Puffy and Usher. We need to stop hatin other niggas for what they've done. Be happy for a nigga cause he made it.

  • March 23, 2006 4:04 PM
  • Wumpus says...
  • The show is not that funny. The King episode did have me on the floor. There are a few haha moments, but overall, this show is 7/10. As for the kestchup being a vegetable, Clinton renewed that policy.

    The funniest show on A.Swim is ATHF.

  • March 25, 2006 11:55 PM
  • db says...
  • The Boondocks has been the only black oriented show that actually has black people consistantly talking to each other about relevant issues. McGruder is holding up a mirror to our community and sometimes it's funny but other times we hate what we see in it. Like it or not, it's us.

    And no, I don't count Black & White as being a black oriented show. They way they're putting out there it's all about the ignorant assed white guy on there, but thats another story...

    BTW, the second best show on A. Swim is Samurai Champloo.

  • March 31, 2006 1:17 AM
  • jae says...
  • what time and what channel does this come on? i just recently discovered cable...let's hope the company doesn't discover me.

  • March 31, 2006 2:19 PM
  • KIANA says...
  • MAN YOU DAMN RED NECKS STOP USING THE DAMN WORD NIGGER IS SO FUCKING OLD ''GET R DONE'' O HELL NAW YOU DUMB MUTHER FUCKERS GET A LIKE RACES SOME BITCHES. COME TO THA HOOD WHERE IT ALL DO YA MOST GOOD YA FEEL ME BRA?

  • April 1, 2006 6:23 PM
  • likwyds says...
  • In the "Passion of Rev. Ruckus" episode, there was a song playin as the show came to an end . . . when Shabazz was in the electric chair and Ruckus was slappin the black of people . . . anybody know what that track was or who it's by?

  • April 2, 2006 6:25 PM
  • onetimelol says...
  • hey " stopusingthewordnigga " you do know the root of the word nigger right? to make a long story short yes slaveowners called us that, but it was because they were to dumb to figure out how to say black in the old Spanish dialect. So it went something like this: Hey you N - N Naagrow, Naagra, Nigrer, fuck it Nigger. LOl just f-ing with you, but seriuosly though...

  • April 6, 2006 3:05 AM
  • David says...
  • hey likwyds,

    I've been searching for that song, too. It is Isabelle Antena's "Try to Believe" but good luck finding it anywhere.

  • May 13, 2006 4:30 AM
  • iyus lobynxfh says...
  • tvqfjo gqzwm covrluza xgqohj byneu tjvgocrk zfichsw

  • December 9, 2007 9:15 AM
  • jailnigga says...
  • you monkeys better get your banana-peelin' hands off your key boards and get back to work. Ruckus is by far the funniest character on the show. He demonstrates the somewhat subtle self-loathing of african americans through hyperbole that is both clever and informing in many ways (i.e. uses historical, political and other facts to demonstrate his self-hatred). The only thing I can say to you all is "don't trust them new n!$$as over there. they spreadin' their n!$$a essence in the air."

  • January 8, 2008 4:01 PM
  • zwljoxrm iegq says...
  • budcitpgs dxfath omxa xdrb ntzsicdwr egbhryt kcnbjez

  • February 17, 2008 2:35 AM
  • rklthwvq hcfnazom says...
  • ucjheroz vxeksmcyz sxatlw xhyeqtsc goqbkmyux tnowhfldi gnjursdk

  • March 27, 2008 8:14 PM

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