I was on the Twitter this evening questioning people about the things that matter in life most: pop culture. You see, without pop culture, Rosa Parks would never have gotten out of her seat…or wait, did she refuse to get up. I can’t remember. Little known facts about Black history always throw me off.
The point is, pop culture is what makes the world go ’round. Now, I tend to fancy myself as somewhat of a pop culture tycoon. I don’t have the breadth of knowledge as some of my compadres who know little intricate facts about every movie, song, or act that’s come out since Cicely Tyson started radio, but I know enough. While my arms may be too short to hot box with God, they’re long enough to slap the monkey shine sh*t out of all perpetrators of the funk.
And what does this have to do with the price of love muffins in Malaysia? Nothing. I just felt like sharing.
The question I posed on the Twitters was this: Is Coming To America the defining movie of our generation, with the caveat of our generation being 25-44 year olds. Arguably, that range is too long but did you know a generation is considered to be an 18-year period? Did you also know that Coca-Cola was originally green? I didn’t either ’til I just googled it.
To me Coming To America is the most quoted movie, most omnipresent movie, and most entertaining movie that 99 percent of all ninjas are aware of. You may disasgree. You may be wrong. But also, you will know. There’s no doubt about it.
Of course, there are arguments to be made for various other movies like Friday, Boyz N The (Tha?) Hood, and any movie starring Stoney Jackson. But as is plainly obvious around here, we’re big fans of Coming To America. It’s the Jay-Z of movies. Plus it might the most stereotypically racist movie ever created. I love it.
But you can’t stop there. What about music? There have to be something like a gazillion songs out there, but there has to be one song above all else that kind of defines the generation you come from right? Anything else would be uncivilized.
(By the way, Preparation H commercials are hilariously disturbing. Lady, I hope that bike your riding isn’t a RideShare bike.)
While picking a TV show like Martin, A Different World, or The Cosby Show as the show that most well represents our generation presents less interpretive dancing, picking music is way more difficult, especially when you consider how many actual albums Master P managed to sell. No really. Look it up. And did you also know that there was a time when groups like The Dayton Family ACTUALLY sold real records. This from a group with members named Shoestring, Backstabber, and Bootleg. Only in Flint, MI, does Shoestring seem like the odd name.
If I had to pick one song to use as the defining song of my generation, it would be Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance” Remix. Mostly because it’s the defining song of Bad Boy and hate them or love them, Bad Boy (while Biggie was alive) was at the top of the food chain.
Oh, and I’d pick A Different World as the tv show.
So basically, I just took 552 words to ask this question:
If you had to pick one movie, song, and television show to define your/our generation, what would it be and why? Or if there are other things you think would stand out as significant, what might they be? Simply, what defines your/our generation?
It’s Friday, its not a day for depth. It’s a time for fun and fellowship. Plus, if one more person calls me a narrow-minded, ignorant papoose, I just might just have to slap a mofo. Yeah you think you can outshine me? Boy I bet. I ain’t met the motherf*cker that could do that yet.
Hold me.
Panama Jackson, signing out.
-VSB P aka TICKLE ME EMO P aka SLAP ME AND I’LL SLAP YOU BACK (POUR LOTION ON ME) aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL HE A 3


