‘DAVE CHAPPELLE’s Block Party‘ comes close to rekindling the spirit of the legendary WATTSTAX concert in Los Angeles back in 1972. Albeit the concert in L.A. was held in the Coliseum and there were 90,000 attendees, the essence and the spirit of the music at the Block Party was the same. Los Angeles had been set on fire in the 1960’s due to the poor social conditions that residents were experiencing. The Vietnam War raged on and Black community leaders were being systematically killed as well. Heroin was just beginning to show the ugly face that drug addiction creates. The WattStax concert was an affirmation that the people that lived in the ghetto could still be beautiful, despite what surrounded them, they could still be proud of who they were.
DAVE CHAPPELLE’s Block Party had that same feeling for me. The writers at this site use this space to rail against Hip-Hop and some of its musicians because they project an image that contains little pride or respect for their community. These are the most popular artists within the genre and they usually receive the most media coverage and radio airplay. None of those artists that use Hip-Hop music as a toxic poison were at the Block Party. The event wasn’t a hippie convention either even though there was some good ass ‘white boy’ weed being passed around. The musicians that graced the stage had mad love for their art. These are the folks that have come to Hip-Hop not because it represented a fast cash option or a ticket to fame. These musicians exist as the last remaining artists within the Hip-Hop genre.
DAVE CHAPPELLE’s Block Party film captures intimate moments and candid conversations with these artists. You get to see them rehearse their craft and you get an understanding that these artists are real people that do real things like we all do. The artists project a regality not from what they do, but from how they view themselves as regular people. These folks would do music without being paid for it because it runs through their souls. These artists are hard working. These artists are humble. These artists are proud.
The Block Party film translated that attitude of pride and self-reliance. The most profound moment in the film is when WYCLEF JEAN congratulates a group of college students for working towards their goal and then he advises them to continue on their path undeterred. “Don’t blame the white man for nothing, go out and get yours”. Truer words have never been spoken by a crapper.
OMG WATTSTAX! That’s one of my favorite movies!