For Discussion: Bring Your A Game
I have attached a clip from the documentary “Bring Your A Game” filmed by Mario Van Peebles to start a much needed discussion about the impact of hip hop and sports on black education. I was unable to embed the entire documentary so please be sure to check out the entire documentary (approx. 20 minutes) at snagfilms.com
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHUw0Hu3EPk
Great documentary bro. I mean its tailor-made for black youth. And not only that, its laced with my favorite black stakeholders, Saul Williams, Lupe Fiasco, the Drs from the Pact, Spike Lee, etc.
Great documentary bro. I mean its tailor-made for black youth. And not only that, its laced with my favorite black stakeholders, Saul Williams, Lupe Fiasco, the Drs from the Pact, Spike Lee, etc.
I don’t know if I ever really thought about where I learned to have a good work ethic, to be dependable, or to want to learn more about the things I took interest in. But when you look at the lives of some of the children who fail, you can sometimes see right away what is missing and who contributed to you becoming the person you are. Friends, family, and especially your parents play a huge part. What’s interesting about this documentary is here is media having to teach young black youth something that their parents, family, and communities have failed to teach them.
I don’t know if I ever really thought about where I learned to have a good work ethic, to be dependable, or to want to learn more about the things I took interest in. But when you look at the lives of some of the children who fail, you can sometimes see right away what is missing and who contributed to you becoming the person you are. Friends, family, and especially your parents play a huge part. What’s interesting about this documentary is here is media having to teach young black youth something that their parents, family, and communities have failed to teach them.
The real question is who actually makes up one’s community. I definitely understand the celebrity-as-role-model model isn’t an ideal way to raise a kid but in such a media saturated world, it is practically inevitable. I found parts of the documentary a bit corny, but it is definitely a necessary message given the influence of sports and hip hop. I found Spike Lee’s comments about reality t.v. to be particularly insightful and don’t think many people think about the damage (regardless of parent and community influence) done by all the voyeurism. Hell, I think the need for strong self-esteem and structure is more critical now than it used to be. It isn’t rare to see a 24 year old on their third “career” when it comes to television. It is sorta easy to feel like a failure or to feel like there is some other, some easier way to “make it.” Hell, it is one of the reasons I delayed grad school; part of me truly thinks that if I worked really home at night or on my computer I could make something happen for myself as well as save the $50,000 i don’t have to spend on an education. But I know better…
The real question is who actually makes up one’s community. I definitely understand the celebrity-as-role-model model isn’t an ideal way to raise a kid but in such a media saturated world, it is practically inevitable. I found parts of the documentary a bit corny, but it is definitely a necessary message given the influence of sports and hip hop. I found Spike Lee’s comments about reality t.v. to be particularly insightful and don’t think many people think about the damage (regardless of parent and community influence) done by all the voyeurism. Hell, I think the need for strong self-esteem and structure is more critical now than it used to be. It isn’t rare to see a 24 year old on their third “career” when it comes to television. It is sorta easy to feel like a failure or to feel like there is some other, some easier way to “make it.” Hell, it is one of the reasons I delayed grad school; part of me truly thinks that if I worked really home at night or on my computer I could make something happen for myself as well as save the $50,000 i don’t have to spend on an education. But I know better…
@Keantre. I think the focus on hip hop and basketball is a bit narrow. I think there is an uptick in young people doing whatever they can to get on television as well. Porn has become a popular way to get famous. Think Montana Fishburne. It isn’t far-fetched. And just think, Montana isn’t without connections. Imagine what other young people are doing to get seen. So it isn’t surprising there is an increase in amateur porn by young black folks on popular porn sites. At least I’ve heard this is what is happening. š
@Keantre. I think the focus on hip hop and basketball is a bit narrow. I think there is an uptick in young people doing whatever they can to get on television as well. Porn has become a popular way to get famous. Think Montana Fishburne. It isn’t far-fetched. And just think, Montana isn’t without connections. Imagine what other young people are doing to get seen. So it isn’t surprising there is an increase in amateur porn by young black folks on popular porn sites. At least I’ve heard this is what is happening. š
Alex, thanks for sharing. I gotta say I have serious issues with this documentary. As far as I understand it, the purpose of this film is to encourage young Black males to take their education more seriously and not look for āeasyā ways out (i.e., rapping, sports, hustling, etc.). This documentary perpetuates the idea (and makes necessary the condition) that successful Black males be role models for their underachieving āyoung brothasā. This is nothing new and I understand the reasons why, regardless of how old fashioned they may be.
As far as famous Black male role models go, thereās probably no one more capable of inspiring such hope in the targeted audience than President Barack Obama. His election epitomizes what it means to achieve what was formerly just the great āwhite Americanā dream (i.e., working hard and graduating from an Ivy League institution to one day chill in the Oval Office). Yet, the impact of Obamaās election on young Black males is severely limited, especially considering the fact that Obama (who we all know isnāt quite āregular Blackā) had significantly more head-starts than most Black American males. When Obama and the other prominent Black men featured in this film have failed to instill the self-esteem or establish the structure that many young Black men apparently lack in their lives, who do they turn to? Who is more immediate in their lives and who do they most rely on? Black women.
Black women have traditionally had the privileges and burdens of supporting Black communities, often while watching their own struggles take a backseat to those of Black men. Black women ranging from the ābaby mamasā that Fantasia sings about, to the current First Lady, to BeyoncĆ© whoāll āstill play [her] part and let [Jay-Z] take the lead roleā are perfect examples of this. Even while nurturing the success of Black men, Black women have somehow managed to excel in their own fields and attain higher levels of formal education, which the documentary stresses. Of course, we know the achievement gap between Black males and Black females is due to both structural inequities and individual decision-making on the parts of both groups. Nonetheless, I question why it is that in almost 2011 young Black males are STILL encouraged to exclusively identify with and follow the lead of the relative few accomplished Black men, especially when statistics suggests that itās the sistas who have been quietly been doing the instructing. Black women are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to attend college than Black men (albeit for various reasons, none of which should suggest that Black women have it āeasierā than Black men). Barack used to work for Michelle. Oprah still OWNS her own company and is wealthier than Bob Johnson, who sold out to Viacom. All Iām saying is when will brothas āman upā and give more public deference to sistasā views on success and the means by which to attain and keep it? Sistas, how long will you continue to āupgradeā your Black spouses, sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews, etc. and not get the credit you deserve? How could Mario Van Peebles make this documentary without dedicating at least 5 minutes to the achievements of struggling Black women (most likely single mothers like mine) who surely made significant contributions to the successes of the men he interviewed? In addition to looking past gender, we should also get beyond race, which I feel the documentary rightly points out. Iāll go ahead and say it. I believe recent Latino immigrants in the U.S., particularly those from Mexico and Central America, could offer valuable lessons to many struggling Black Americans, especially when it comes to home economics.
Alex, thanks for sharing. I gotta say I have serious issues with this documentary. As far as I understand it, the purpose of this film is to encourage young Black males to take their education more seriously and not look for āeasyā ways out (i.e., rapping, sports, hustling, etc.). This documentary perpetuates the idea (and makes necessary the condition) that successful Black males be role models for their underachieving āyoung brothasā. This is nothing new and I understand the reasons why, regardless of how old fashioned they may be.
As far as famous Black male role models go, thereās probably no one more capable of inspiring such hope in the targeted audience than President Barack Obama. His election epitomizes what it means to achieve what was formerly just the great āwhite Americanā dream (i.e., working hard and graduating from an Ivy League institution to one day chill in the Oval Office). Yet, the impact of Obamaās election on young Black males is severely limited, especially considering the fact that Obama (who we all know isnāt quite āregular Blackā) had significantly more head-starts than most Black American males. When Obama and the other prominent Black men featured in this film have failed to instill the self-esteem or establish the structure that many young Black men apparently lack in their lives, who do they turn to? Who is more immediate in their lives and who do they most rely on? Black women.
Black women have traditionally had the privileges and burdens of supporting Black communities, often while watching their own struggles take a backseat to those of Black men. Black women ranging from the ābaby mamasā that Fantasia sings about, to the current First Lady, to BeyoncĆ© whoāll āstill play [her] part and let [Jay-Z] take the lead roleā are perfect examples of this. Even while nurturing the success of Black men, Black women have somehow managed to excel in their own fields and attain higher levels of formal education, which the documentary stresses. Of course, we know the achievement gap between Black males and Black females is due to both structural inequities and individual decision-making on the parts of both groups. Nonetheless, I question why it is that in almost 2011 young Black males are STILL encouraged to exclusively identify with and follow the lead of the relative few accomplished Black men, especially when statistics suggests that itās the sistas who have been quietly been doing the instructing. Black women are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to attend college than Black men (albeit for various reasons, none of which should suggest that Black women have it āeasierā than Black men). Barack used to work for Michelle. Oprah still OWNS her own company and is wealthier than Bob Johnson, who sold out to Viacom. All Iām saying is when will brothas āman upā and give more public deference to sistasā views on success and the means by which to attain and keep it? Sistas, how long will you continue to āupgradeā your Black spouses, sons, grandsons, brothers, nephews, etc. and not get the credit you deserve? How could Mario Van Peebles make this documentary without dedicating at least 5 minutes to the achievements of struggling Black women (most likely single mothers like mine) who surely made significant contributions to the successes of the men he interviewed? In addition to looking past gender, we should also get beyond race, which I feel the documentary rightly points out. Iāll go ahead and say it. I believe recent Latino immigrants in the U.S., particularly those from Mexico and Central America, could offer valuable lessons to many struggling Black Americans, especially when it comes to home economics.