By Edward Henderson
There are infinite options for an enjoyable weekend in San Diego. The beach. A fancy restaurant. Gaslamp District. But if you’re like me, comfortable pajamas, tangled bedsheets, your favorite guilty pleasure snack food and a great Netflix show is all you need. Last weekend I had the pleasure of indulging in my latest binge effort with Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Get Down’.
The show takes place in the late 70’s Bronx, New York. The disco era of music is in full swing, however there is a new and upstart culture on the rise – Hip-Hop. In the backdrop of social and political unrest, a group of young teens are central characters in this dramedy as they have plans of making it out of the Bronx in any way possible.
Ezekiel (Justice Smith) is a closeted and love struck poet who hides his talent from everyone except his muse and aspiring disco singer Mylene (Herizen Guardiola). In an attempt to win her over by securing her favorite record, Ezekiel has a run in with a street gang and a budding DJ Shaolin Fantastic (Shameik Moore). The two end up forming an unlikely bond and Fantastic introduces Ezekiel and his friends to the thriving counter culture of hip-hop.
The young wordsmith instantly falls in love with the energy of the culture and is blessed with a new dream of becoming an emcee. Many obstacles are in the way of course, as the harsh reality of his surroundings along with pressure from his family to find a secure job pull at his allegiances.
‘The Get Down’ is full of plot twists, nostalgic musical fun and a cast of loveable characters to root for. Legendary rapper Nas also serves as a narrator utilizing his trademark storytelling skills. The six episode mini-series took up my entire Saturday morning and late afternoon as I was transported back into an era of hip-hop’s history my big brother always pontificated over. After watching the break dancing, graffiti art and classic rap cadences, I completely understood his excitement.
I always cherish the moments when we get the opportunity to see our people and culture shine in the mainstream. ‘The Get Down’ introduces us to new actors of color we can cheer for in the coming years and will hopefully enjoy a long run on Netflix. I know I’ll tune in as the story of dream chasing and community change continues to develop on screen and in real life as well.
