​As a child born in the seventies, seeing faces and stories that looked like me & what I saw around me was a rare occurrence. The Blaxploitation Era was over, and outside of the contributions of Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, and Bill Cosby, there just wasn’t much to choose from. But in the nineties, everything changed. And one of that era’s largest contributions came from one John Singleton…
A graduate of The USC School of Cinema-Television, and intern to Arsenio Hall, John Singleton pushed his way into the nation’s consciousness with 1991’s Boyz N The Hood. Originally titled Summer Of ’84, the film was made on a budget of just under $7 million dollars-but grossed over $57 million. Singleton also garnered two Academy Award nominations for Best Director & Best Original Screenplay. Singleton was the first Black Director to ever be nominated for a Best Director Oscar-and the youngest. And on his very first film. Marinate on that… Boyz N The Hood also helped launch and/or accelerate the acting careers of Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Ice Cube, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Regina King, and more.
After the success of Boyz N The Hood, John Singleton followed up with Poetic Justice in 1991, the hard-hitting Higher Learning in 1995, and the largely underrated historical drama Rosewood in 1997. In between that time, he also directed the short film/music videos, Remember The Times & Dangerous, for Michael Jackson. Other writing and/or directing credits include:

• Shaft (2000)
• Baby Boy (2001)
• 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
• Four Brothers (2005)
• Snowfall (TV Series 2017-the present)

He has also served as an executive producer on multiple other projects, including Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan, Independent Lens (PBS), and Rebel.
Along with his peers of the time (Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, Matty Rich, The Hughes Brothers, etc), John Singleton is universally credited as an inspiration to so many of the Black filmmakers that would come since the nineties. He is also the man that put the spotlight on other highly coveted actors and actresses, such as Taraji Henson, Tyrese Gibson, and more. In 2003, John was immortalized with a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame. John Singleton was only 51 years old, at the time of his passing. But his memory will live on forever…

The Ching Dynasty has placed secret agents and informants amongt those who resist The Ching Rulership, they will slaughter any real or perceived threat to their rule. After The Ching kill his family, young “Iron” hides out at The Shaolin Temple-first as a food stealing refugee; and then as a student. Eventually he excels in his studies enough to return home and seek out revenge. Prior to all of this, he was just an irresponsible kid drinking and gambling every day; but reality has struck hard and swiftly. Now Iron must learn how to rise above the outside world and rose to higher levels of consciousness. In the process, “Iron” will have to overcome his own demons-plus face off with jealous monks, Fung Kong, Captain Pa, Captain Ti, and General in the process. To do so, he must also master the difficult to learn-but highly effective Monkey Fist Style of Kung Fu from The Bitter Monk. There are a lot of jewels here; and the action is magnificent!! Wu-Tang Lovers will peep some ill samples used in the intro to The Wu Tang Clan’s third album “The W” on “Chamber Music.”  Among other luminaries of the Shaolin Kung Fu Genre, “Iron Monkey” stars Chen Kuan-Tai, Ka Yan (Bryan) Leung, and Kuan Jiun Chi.
​Watch and Enjoy…

"I Pray That We Sing A New Song"
For years I and countless others complained about how many movies there have been made about watered-down representations of slavery.  Few of these movies told the true story of the centuries of Kidnapping, Torture, Rape, Pillage and Murder of Millions and Millions of Africans all across the globe.  Almost none of these movies (with the exception of  1972's "Goodbye Uncle Tom") mention those that fought back.  But then came Actor, Writer, Director Nate Parker to the rescue...  
For those unaware, Nate Parker's biopic about Nat Turner's 1831 Slave Rebellion not only won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at The 2015 Sundance Film festival-but also commandeered the highest investment from a Major Motion Picture Company in Sundance history at $17.5 Million Dollars.   due to hit theaters on October 7th 2016, "The Birth Of A Nation" provides An "honest confrontation with our past, as a means of going forward" and honors one of America's greatest Freedom Fighters.  The chosen title also can be considered as taking a jab at the 1915 film, of the same name, that is historically credited as having fueled a resurgence of The KKK.  let US ALL Make sure WE put pressure on EACH of the local theater chains in advance to ensure that "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" gets the same treatment as all other movie releases.  And be sure to check your ticket stub to make sure it says "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" on it.  Let us not forget the fuckery that went on back in 1992 when "MALCOLM X" moviegoers were given tickets labeled for "Batman," thus credit for how many people went to see/box office revenue was steered away from its true intended place.  If "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" is successful, then this gives much more leverage for other filmmakers to put out more biopics about our true Black Heroes... 
"INJUSTICE ANYWHERE, IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE"  #StandWithUs

Universally known more than anything for his portrayal of the character "Goldie" in the 1973 classic film "The Mack," Max Julien is an Iconic Cult Hero that has went on to distinguish himself as a Writer, Director, Producer and Sculptor for over 40 years now.  Max Julien started his career as a classically trained actor, working the Off Broadway scene in New York City.  Originally from Washington D.C., he would then move to California and garner co-starring roles alongside Jack Nicholson in "Psych-Out" and Candace Bergen in "Getting Straight."  Other credits include "The Black Klansman" in 1966 and "Uptight" in 1968.  Having now built up a name for himself as an up & coming talent, Max Julien took his skills to Europe-where he would begin writing, directing and even producing (all things rarely allowed for Black Filmmakers in America at that time).  Max wrote and directed the documentary "Trestevre," and then co-produced the popular 1973 classic "Cleopatra Jones."  In 1974 Julien would take advantage of the popularity and success of "The Mack" and "Cleopatra Jones" (both released in 1973) and would change gears to write, produce & star in "Thomasine & Bushrod."  In "Thomasine & Bushrod" max Julien was paired with the lovely Vonetta McGee.  This was a Action western themed around a Black Bonnie and Clyde, and was directed by the legendary Gordon Parks.  after 1974 Max Julien seemingly disappeared from films; but would release a novel entitled "Dark Clowns Kickin' Ass" and would have his art sculptures featured in galleries all over the country.  in the early 1990's Julien would return to film, writing and directing "Sketches Of A Man: The Charles Drew Story" and would gain international acclaim for writing, directing and starring in the West African film "Sangu, The Silent One."  back in The U.S., Max Julien would do featured cameo roles in Def Jam's 1997 film "How To Be A Player" plus several other films, TV Shows and Music Videos.  Today he continues to remain a fixture of Pop Culture-known to pop up in videos and songs every few years-and is said to be writing his biography.  "The Mack" currently ranks at #19 on Entertainment Weekly's Top 50 Cult Movies List; and his work has been sampled/inspired more Hip Hop songs and movies than we could even begin to try counting.  #SaluteThePioneers

SOURCES:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432273/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432273/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
http://www.38thnotes.com/2013/02/11/video-max-julien-talks-2pac-huey-newton-in-1997-interview/

So as I clicked on the link to the first trailer for Actor/Director Nate Parker's upcoming Nat Turner Biopic "THE BIRTH OF A NATION," I found myself just a tad bit overwhelmed by the vibrations coming from watching the images of Nat Turner evolving from a preaching pawn to that of a Revolutionary-imagery made ever so much more powerful as Nina Simone's rendition of "Strange Fruit" provides a fitting background.  For years I and others complained about how many movies there have been made about watered-down representations of slavery-but almost none about True Freedom Fighters.  But then came Nate Parker to the rescue.  From first glance, it appears that we not only get to see one of our True Heroes; but also a more grittier look at the violent and oppressive reality that was chattel slavery.   For those unaware, Nate Parker's biopic about Nat Turner's 1831 Slave Rebellion not only won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize at The 2015 Sundance Film festival-but also commandeered the highest investment from a Major Motion Picture Company in Sundance history at $17.5 Million Dollars.  
due to hit theaters on October 7th 2016, let US ALL Make sure WE put pressure on EACH of the local theater chains in advance to ensure that "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" gets the same treatment as all other movie releases.  And be sure to check your ticket stub to make sure it says "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" on it.  Let us not forget the fuckery that went on back in 1992 when "MALCOLM X" moviegoers were given tickets labeled for "Batman," thus credit for how many people went to see/box office revenue was steered away from its true intended place.  If "THE BIRTH OF A NATION" is successful, then this gives much more leverage for other filmmakers to put out more biopics about our true Black Heroes...