In her essay “Revolutionary Attitude,” bell hooks says that the “mass media of specific images, representations of race, of blackness” are directly related to the racial domination in our society (hooks, 1992, p. 2). Hustle and Flow, a 2005 film written and directed by a White man and produced by a Black man, exists somewhere in between stereotypical and unique in its portrayal of African-Americans and African-American culture.
The protagonist of Hustle and Flow is DJay, a pimp and drug dealer with musical aspirations. Not only does DJay’s lifestyle fall on the wrong side of the law, but he also speaks crassly in slang and is quick to violence, as seen in interactions with a junkie and one of his prostitutes. Regardless of these factors, the film opens with DJay delivering an intelligent discourse on the nature of man and mankind and how they (do and do not) relate to dogs. DJay’s intelligence runs as a counterpoint to traditional depictions of poverty-stricken, Black criminals.
Unfortunately, the film’s portrayal of Black women isn’t as progressive. Just like the portrayals Linda Holtzman’s finds in Do The Right Thing and Boyz ‘N the Hood, the Black women are mostly one-dimensional (Holtzman, 2000, p. 241). There is Lexus, the loud, rude and aggressive stripper and prostitute (Holtzman’s “highly sexed and sexy”) and then there is Shug, the loyal, complacent, and caring love interest. Though she is also a prostitute (and pregnant with the child of an unknown man), she is significantly less sexed, and more in-line with Holtzman’s “archetypical virgin” (Holtzman, 2000, p. 241). Interestingly, the most submissive female character is the White Nola, who is DJay’s primary source of income. When DJay needs a new microphone and cannot afford one, he forces Nola to have sex with a shop owner in exchange for the microphone. However, any role expectations these scenarios may shatter are negated when at the end, Nola finds success on her own.
One of the most interesting characters from a race perspective is Yevette, Keys’ wife. Yevette is a successful businesswoman who, because of her social and economic standing, acts White. The tone of her voice, her enunciation, her dress, and her reaction to DJay’s lifestyle all evoke traditional images of the straight-laced White (wo)man. In a film celebrating the glory of hip-hop, Yevette’s reliance on White mannerisms to reinforce her feelings of power are unsettling. Yevette eventually shows curiosity about the music that her husband and DJay are making, an action that parallels many White youths’ interest in hip-hop. Shelby, the White beatmaker, also expresses this interest. When DJay performs his first rap, with lines describing violence to women, Shelby loves it. DJay is turned off by Shelby’s race at first, doubting his hip-hop credibility. Keys replies by stating that Shelby isn’t White, he’s just light-skinned. Shelby, who in the next scene produces an infectious beat, is an example of an “honorary Black” like Eminem.
The music the characters make, hip-hop, is probably the most prevalent trademark of Black culture in contemporary media. Mainstream hip-hop frequently “glorif[ies] gunplay and the mistreatment of women,” and Hustle and Flow does not avoid commenting on these issues (Fears, 2003). Not only does DJay’s whole financial endeavor revolve around the objectification of women, but DJay himself resorts to choking out Lexus when she provokes him. More important to the narrative is the idea of the “gangsta” and the violence associated with this. After an altercation with drunken gangsta rapper Skinny Black in the bathroom of a bar, DJay finds Skinny’s handgun. Foolishly using the handgun to intimidate Skinny, one of Skinny’s bodyguards enters the bathroom. Upon seeing DJay with the gun, the bodyguard draws his own weapon and a shootout ensues. DJay has expressed no interest or predilection to firearms at any point heretofore in the story. His unfortunate fate with the handgun and the shootout is a direct result of some individuals’ adherence to the stereotype of the “gangsta” rapper. Like Hustle and Flow producer John Singleton’s Boyz ‘N the Hood, the film shows the repercussions of gun violence. However, bell hooks has said of Boyz ‘N the Hood (and the same could be applied to Hustle and Flow) that these images only ingrain Black on Black violence as a form of entertainment (hooks, 1992, p. 7).
Despite some of the familiar stereotypical trappings that Hustle and Flow occasionally falls into, the film does offer a diverse palette of Black and White characters. No two Black characters are the same, and no two White characters are the same. There are Black characters who act more traditionally White, and vice versa. These factors can be demonstrative of the fact that though the film does engage several stereotypes, its intents are far from malicious.
Reference List
Fears, D. (2003, October 12). “Ghettopoly” incites protests [Electronic version]. Washington Post, p. A03.
Holtzman, L. (2000). Racing in America – fact or fiction?, Stories of race in popular culture. In Media messages: What film television, and popular music teach us about race, class, gender, and sexual orientation (pp. 149-254). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
hooks, b. (1992). Revolutionary attitude. In Black looks: Race and representation (pp. 1-7). Boston, MA: South End Press.
Unfortunately, the film’s portrayal of Black women isn’t as progressive. Just like the portrayals Linda Holtzman’s finds in Do The Right Thing and Boyz ‘N the Hood, the Black women are mostly one-dimensional (Holtzman, 2000, p. 241). There is Lexus, the loud, rude and aggressive stripper and prostitute (Holtzman’s “highly sexed and sexy”) and then there is Shug, the loyal, complacent, and caring love interest. Though she is also a prostitute (and pregnant with the child of an unknown man), she is significantly less sexed, and more in-line with Holtzman’s “archetypical virgin” (Holtzman, 2000, p. 241). Interestingly, the most submissive female character is the White Nola, who is DJay’s primary source of income. When DJay needs a new microphone and cannot afford one, he forces Nola to have sex with a shop owner in exchange for the microphone. However, any role expectations these scenarios may shatter are negated when at the end, Nola finds success on her own.
One of the most interesting characters from a race perspective is Yevette, Keys’ wife. Yevette is a successful businesswoman who, because of her social and economic standing, acts White. The tone of her voice, her enunciation, her dress, and her reaction to DJay’s lifestyle all evoke traditional images of the straight-laced White (wo)man. In a film celebrating the glory of hip-hop, Yevette’s reliance on White mannerisms to reinforce her feelings of power are unsettling. Yevette eventually shows curiosity about the music that her husband and DJay are making, an action that parallels many White youths’ interest in hip-hop. Shelby, the White beatmaker, also expresses this interest. When DJay performs his first rap, with lines describing violence to women, Shelby loves it. DJay is turned off by Shelby’s race at first, doubting his hip-hop credibility. Keys replies by stating that Shelby isn’t White, he’s just light-skinned. Shelby, who in the next scene produces an infectious beat, is an example of an “honorary Black” like Eminem.
The music the characters make, hip-hop, is probably the most prevalent trademark of Black culture in contemporary media. Mainstream hip-hop frequently “glorif[ies] gunplay and the mistreatment of women,” and Hustle and Flow does not avoid commenting on these issues (Fears, 2003). Not only does DJay’s whole financial endeavor revolve around the objectification of women, but DJay himself resorts to choking out Lexus when she provokes him. More important to the narrative is the idea of the “gangsta” and the violence associated with this. After an altercation with drunken gangsta rapper Skinny Black in the bathroom of a bar, DJay finds Skinny’s handgun. Foolishly using the handgun to intimidate Skinny, one of Skinny’s bodyguards enters the bathroom. Upon seeing DJay with the gun, the bodyguard draws his own weapon and a shootout ensues. DJay has expressed no interest or predilection to firearms at any point heretofore in the story. His unfortunate fate with the handgun and the shootout is a direct result of some individuals’ adherence to the stereotype of the “gangsta” rapper. Like Hustle and Flow producer John Singleton’s Boyz ‘N the Hood, the film shows the repercussions of gun violence. However, bell hooks has said of Boyz ‘N the Hood (and the same could be applied to Hustle and Flow) that these images only ingrain Black on Black violence as a form of entertainment (hooks, 1992, p. 7).
Despite some of the familiar stereotypical trappings that Hustle and Flow occasionally falls into, the film does offer a diverse palette of Black and White characters. No two Black characters are the same, and no two White characters are the same. There are Black characters who act more traditionally White, and vice versa. These factors can be demonstrative of the fact that though the film does engage several stereotypes, its intents are far from malicious.
Reference List
Fears, D. (2003, October 12). “Ghettopoly” incites protests [Electronic version]. Washington Post, p. A03.
Holtzman, L. (2000). Racing in America – fact or fiction?, Stories of race in popular culture. In Media messages: What film television, and popular music teach us about race, class, gender, and sexual orientation (pp. 149-254). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
hooks, b. (1992). Revolutionary attitude. In Black looks: Race and representation (pp. 1-7). Boston, MA: South End Press.
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