Comments for Kushfilms.com http://kushfilms.com/blog Leading Promoters of Urban Films in The UK Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Good Hair and Chris Rock by Kwamla’s FB Wall | Kwamla's Facebook Blog http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=231&cpage=1#comment-95 Kwamla’s FB Wall | Kwamla's Facebook Blog Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:34:00 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=231#comment-95 [...] Good Hair and Chris Rock « Kush Promotions Blog The internet is wild with blog posts and articles about Chris Rock’s excellent foray into the world of the comic documentary. [...] [...] Good Hair and Chris Rock « Kush Promotions Blog The internet is wild with blog posts and articles about Chris Rock’s excellent foray into the world of the comic documentary. [...]

]]> Comment on UK opening of ‘District 9′ overshadowed by accusations of racism. by Jojo http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=677&cpage=1#comment-93 Jojo Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:17:56 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=677#comment-93 Good stuff. I saw the film, it's great and I gotta say, I agree with Tola, I think it's one of those rare mainstream films that manages to approach the topic of racism without being racist! Good stuff. I saw the film, it’s great and I gotta say, I agree with Tola, I think it’s one of those rare mainstream films that manages to approach the topic of racism without being racist!

]]> Comment on 1 Day: First UK Hip Hop Gangster Film is victim of mindless attack, possibly racial by admin http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=375&cpage=1#comment-72 admin Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:41:54 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=375#comment-72 Thanks Shawn, Even though what you read were not actual comments of my own (personally). I very much take into consideration how you see it and respect your comments. I would say though it's society as a whole rather than certain elements of the media that have encouraged the development and matured the mindset of very young black men enabling them to act up, the way they are acting up - we have to remember young black men are not only dying in the UK, but also in greta numbers in the USA, Africa, Brazil and many other parts of the world. So what really is the underlying cause?? Marlon Palmer (Kush Promotions) Thanks Shawn,
Even though what you read were not actual comments of my own (personally). I very much take into consideration how you see it and respect your comments. I would say though it’s society as a whole rather than certain elements of the media that have encouraged the development and matured the mindset of very young black men enabling them to act up, the way they are acting up – we have to remember young black men are not only dying in the UK, but also in greta numbers in the USA, Africa, Brazil and many other parts of the world. So what really is the underlying cause??
Marlon Palmer (Kush Promotions)

]]> Comment on 1 Day: First UK Hip Hop Gangster Film is victim of mindless attack, possibly racial by Shawn http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=375&cpage=1#comment-71 Shawn Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:59:33 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=375#comment-71 Greetings. I have to say I could not disagree with you more on this I'm afraid. There is nothing racist about Keith Barton's criticism on this film, he is just telling it like it is. This is not about not trusting black young people with violent films. It is not as simple as that. It is about a deliberate exploitation of an issue for financial gain, dressing it up as a participation opportunity for young people. I have worked with black young people on media projects over the past 15 years, and like you I have also been involved in projects that have aimed to raise awareness on knife and gun crime in our communities. Being involved in those projects I also know it is no good for us to bury our heads in the sand. This film is a promotional film that validates gang culture among black youth. Intelligent black youth (which are the LARGE majority of black youth) will see this film and have either of two reactions – they will either be depressed by it, or they be entertained by it and forget it the next day. For the minority of ‘lost’ black youth that are following the violent gang thing, they will see this film and be boosted by it, as it validates their experience and recklessness. This film does not challenge the gang life, it celebrates it. This is why Barton was right in his criticism. This film is not an intelligent creative attempt to even debate the issue, it is a cynical move to make money out of a problem. You mention the positive experiences that the young people would have got out of working on this film. I applaud any positive experiences the young people have got from this film and hope they use that to enhance their opportunities and go far in life. I have to question however why a film that celebrates the destruction of black youth is then marketed as being a vehicle for giving black young positive experiences. Can you not see the cynical motivations at work here? This is not a film that has emerged out of the black community. It is not a black owned film in authorship or economics. This is a made by a white film maker that has simply used black young people to make a film that perpetuates negative and one-dimensional stereotypes. This approach, as I’m sure you know, is where the term Blacksploitation came from in 1970s Hollywood. It was eventually appropriated by African Americans, but the original films were just negative exploitation films marketed at black communities to get their cash. The work of this film was not educational participation with black youth. Even if the film makers were sincere in what they were doing, (and I give them the benefit of the doubt of thinking they were doing the right thing), this was nothing more than using the street cred gained from working with our young people to make the look and marketing of this film more “edgy”, “raw” and “urban” and all those other buzz words. Don’t believe the hype. 1Day is a film to criticise and not defend, for the sake and integrity of the black film industry you otherwise passionately promote. See my blog to see the letter I sent the producers of 1Day - www [dot] beyondproject [dot] wordpress [dot] com Peace Bro. Despite this disagreement, keep up the good work. Blessings. Aluta continua. Shawn Naphtali Sobers Greetings.

I have to say I could not disagree with you more on this I’m afraid. There is nothing racist about Keith Barton’s criticism on this film, he is just telling it like it is.

This is not about not trusting black young people with violent films. It is not as simple as that. It is about a deliberate exploitation of an issue for financial gain, dressing it up as a participation opportunity for young people. I have worked with black young people on media projects over the past 15 years, and like you I have also been involved in projects that have aimed to raise awareness on knife and gun crime in our communities.

Being involved in those projects I also know it is no good for us to bury our heads in the sand. This film is a promotional film that validates gang culture among black youth. Intelligent black youth (which are the LARGE majority of black youth) will see this film and have either of two reactions – they will either be depressed by it, or they be entertained by it and forget it the next day. For the minority of ‘lost’ black youth that are following the violent gang thing, they will see this film and be boosted by it, as it validates their experience and recklessness. This film does not challenge the gang life, it celebrates it. This is why Barton was right in his criticism.

This film is not an intelligent creative attempt to even debate the issue, it is a cynical move to make money out of a problem.

You mention the positive experiences that the young people would have got out of working on this film. I applaud any positive experiences the young people have got from this film and hope they use that to enhance their opportunities and go far in life. I have to question however why a film that celebrates the destruction of black youth is then marketed as being a vehicle for giving black young positive experiences. Can you not see the cynical motivations at work here?

This is not a film that has emerged out of the black community. It is not a black owned film in authorship or economics. This is a made by a white film maker that has simply used black young people to make a film that perpetuates negative and one-dimensional stereotypes. This approach, as I’m sure you know, is where the term Blacksploitation came from in 1970s Hollywood. It was eventually appropriated by African Americans, but the original films were just negative exploitation films marketed at black communities to get their cash.

The work of this film was not educational participation with black youth. Even if the film makers were sincere in what they were doing, (and I give them the benefit of the doubt of thinking they were doing the right thing), this was nothing more than using the street cred gained from working with our young people to make the look and marketing of this film more “edgy”, “raw” and “urban” and all those other buzz words.

Don’t believe the hype. 1Day is a film to criticise and not defend, for the sake and integrity of the black film industry you otherwise passionately promote.

See my blog to see the letter I sent the producers of 1Day – www [dot] beyondproject [dot] wordpress [dot] com

Peace Bro. Despite this disagreement, keep up the good work. Blessings.

Aluta continua.

Shawn Naphtali Sobers

]]> Comment on Good Hair and Chris Rock by aron ranen http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=231&cpage=1#comment-29 aron ranen Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:39:14 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=231#comment-29 Please take a moment to check out my documentary film BLACK HAIR It is free at youtube. 6 parts including an update from London, England. It explores the Korean Take-over of the Black Beauty Supply and Hair biz.. Kinda like Madame C.J. Walker in Reverse....a tragic comedy. I am not a hater, I am a motivator. Plus I am a White guy who stumbled upon this, and felt it was so wrong I had to make a film about it. Can it be taken back? Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96aaTSdrAE Please take a moment to check out my documentary film BLACK HAIR

It is free at youtube. 6 parts including an update from London, England.

It explores the Korean Take-over of the Black Beauty Supply and Hair biz..

Kinda like Madame C.J. Walker in Reverse….a tragic comedy.

I am not a hater, I am a motivator.

Plus I am a White guy who stumbled upon this, and felt it was so wrong I had to make a film about it.

Can it be taken back?

Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96aaTSdrAE

]]> Comment on Profile: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje – better known to Lost fans as Mr Eko. by admin http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=159&cpage=1#comment-8 admin Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:26:18 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=159#comment-8 Thanks Ms Woo, never caught that show... Thanks Ms Woo, never caught that show…

]]> Comment on Profile: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje – better known to Lost fans as Mr Eko. by MsWOO http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=159&cpage=1#comment-7 MsWOO Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:06:24 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=159#comment-7 Let's not forget Triple A's seminal performance as Adebisi, one of the main recurring characters in "Oz," the cult TV prison series from the late 90s. I think it's fair to say that it's from his performance in that show that people began to sit up and take notice. Let’s not forget Triple A’s seminal performance as Adebisi, one of the main recurring characters in “Oz,” the cult TV prison series from the late 90s. I think it’s fair to say that it’s from his performance in that show that people began to sit up and take notice.

]]> Comment on One for the ladies: Idris Elba tweets his body to publicise new Brit film ‘Legacy’ by Anjel http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=76&cpage=1#comment-4 Anjel Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:30:28 +0000 http://kushfilms.com/blog/?p=76#comment-4 The Driis is what I’m talking about!!!! Joke aside, Idris Elba manges to combine effortless good looks, with charm, fine acting and an inspiration to black actors that this level can be achieved with perseverance. It is not an easy industry, so props to him for making it work to his best advantage. The Driis is what I’m talking about!!!! Joke aside, Idris Elba manges to combine effortless good looks, with charm, fine acting and an inspiration to black actors that this level can be achieved with perseverance. It is not an easy industry, so props to him for making it work to his best advantage.

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