Jadakiss Represents as Always
By: Dennis Richmond, Jr.
The Harder They Fall is currently the number one movie on Netflix. The film is about Black cowboys, Black outlaws, and Black lawmakers during the 19th century. The soundtrack for the film features a song called “King Kong Riddim.” The song has multiple rappers on it, including JAY-Z and Jadakiss. In the song, Jadakiss raps, “Black outlaws, opposite of the Proud Boys.” The legendary rapper from Yonkers delivered beautifully on his verse. Jadakiss never disappoints in his music.
The film was co-produced by Shawn Carter. Shawn is better off known by his stage name, JAY-Z. The film has principal cast members that are all Black. Some stars in this film include Regina King, Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, and LaKeith Stanfield. Many critics compare the movie to the movie Django Unchained. There are distinct differences between the two. Django Unchained did not have an entire Black principal cast and used the n-word excessively. The Harder They Fall didn’t show slavery. There were no conversations about plantations. Not to mention, Black women and Black men stood up for themselves in various ways.
Yonkers City Councilwoman Shanae Williams talked to me for almost half an hour about the film. “I love the action, the horseback riding, and how they work with the police,” she said. In the movie, we meet prominent figures in Black history. Figures who time attempted to erase and public schools failed to acknowledge. Bass Reeves was the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal to the west of the Mississippi River. Stagecoach Mary was the first Black woman to become a star-route mail carrier in the United States. Nat Love was one of the most famous cowboys ever.
The movie showed Black people authentically. There was no subservientness. The women not only stood up to each other, but they stood up to men. Perhaps one of my favorite scenes in the movie was seeing an all-white town. You’ll have to see the film to understand what that means. There’s a reason that the movie hit number one on Netflix. That reason is that Black audiences will watch something if it shows authenticity.
“It was good,” said Tulleesha Burbage, 27, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. She watched the film with a special friend a few days ago. The ancestors must be rejoicing to know that their names are being researched and celebrated. With Black people finally having their stories told the right way, thousands of people are tuning in to see what all the fuss is about, and you should too. “I would recommend it,” said Kayvon Philip-Reid, 26, in Mount Vernon, New York. Even though some of the stories in the movie might be fictional, all the characters were real. I say the film deserves a ten out of ten.
Dennis Richmond, Jr., is an author and journalist focused on the Black, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ Community. He has covered HBCUs periodically for six years at Yonkers Rising. Richmond lives in Yonkers. Follow him on Twitter @NewYorkStakz.
