Afropunk: The Rock N Roll N***** Experience
Directed by James Spooner
Written by Documentary
Starring Matt Davis, Tamar Kali, James Spooner
Release Date November 6th, 2003
Published November 6th, 2003
German philosopher Georg Hegel defines alienation as the unhappy consciousness. He continues on saying that alienation is typical of philosophical skepticism as an alienated soul which is conscious of itself as a divided being, or a doubled and contradictory being whose aspirations towards universality have been frustrated.
The subjects of James Spooner's fascinating documentary Afropunk know all about alienation as defined by Mr. Hegel. Being black in the predominantly white punk scene and a punk in the black community is to be a divided soul. However, as this documentary shows these divided souls are making a way for themselves in a growing community of artists.
Shot over a year on a minuscule budget Afropunk is a collection of interviews with fans and artists in the punk scene. This is not the whitewashed MTV punk scene as identified by the Good Charlotte's of the world. Rather this is the true punk scene of tiny clubs and rowdy hardcore fans. As well as near poverty stricken artists who don't do punk to get on MTV but rather as their only true way to express themselves artistically. Artists who found something in the angry thrashing rhythms and screeching riffs of Punk that can't be simply explained.
Among these artists is Matt Davis from Iowa City Iowa, who performed in a number of punk bands over his short life including the well regarded Ten-Grand. Living in near poverty with his band-mates, Davis personified the duality of the punk lifestyle. He lived for the music and the energy of performing, even if it meant selling blood to make rent. Davis died before completion of the film.
Tamar Kali well known in the New York underground scene for combining hardcore rock and soul identified with the aestheticism of punk. The punk look and the angry lyrics stirred something inside her. After years of struggle with her identity as a punk and a black women, her fully formed personality leaps off the screen with great strength. Don't be surprised when she brakes through to wider audiences.
Moe Mitchell is the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Cipher. The band with its three white members and Moe at its lead is known for its black power lyrics. Whether Moe's audience has an understanding of his message seems unlikely, the audiences are almost entirely white. Moe doesn't seem to care. After attending Howard University and becoming involved in the black power movement, Moe has found peace with his duality and his friends in the band are aware that when the revolution comes they won't be on the same side.
Finally, my favorite person in the documentary is Marika Jonez, a punk DJ in California. Her strength is organization. She runs a website that promotes punk shows in her California locale and DJ's at punk clubs. Her struggle as a young black punk is the most poignant of the stories in Afropunk because she is the youngest and most vulnerable of the people profiled. She isn't as comfortable with herself as the others and is only at the beginning of her self-discovery.
The documentary intersperses the stories of it's four leads with interviews with the people who kicked down the door and made it easier for African-Americans to thrive in the Punk scene. There are interviews with the members of Bad Brainz, Fishbone and the Dead Kennedy's amongst many other pioneers.
Director James Spooner weaves a remarkable story in Afropunk. One that combines the history of a scene with a philosophical exploration of identity and humanity. For anyone who thinks Punk is just loud angry noise, Afropunk will teach you that Punk is one of the few musical forms where discourse thrives. Expressions of anger and frustration over politics religion and race are just some of the topics that Punk tackles that all other music stray from.
Afropunk is difficult to find, currently Director James Spooner is taking it around the country on his own dime. But if you get the chance, you must see this terrific documentary.
