Come on Ryan. Come on Michael.
Come on Ryan Coogler. Come on Michael B. Jordan. You did another movie. That’s nice…but when are you guys actually going to step it up and become responsible? Every time you turn around, it’s you two on behind or in some production where you are embarrassing yourselves and everyone else. Of course no one is going to let you know. No one’s going to pull you to the side and say cut it out or simply ask you why are you doing this…or don’t you know better??
What am I talking about?
What am I talking about?? Some of you know, but for those of you who don’t, these two have been poisoning media with racial slurs in practically every production. We attempted to enjoy Sinners, hoping that Ryan Coogler has matured or developed as a person or read some books or sought counsel from someone who knows better, but we saw the same thing. You see, it’s easy to find yourself in an echo chamber surrounded by yes-men and yes-women who simply want to be in a movie or around the industry and because of that are willing to go along with whatever you do or say.
Not the same
Thankfully for all of us, this article is not that. Ryan do you remember the I AM A Man signs that many protestors in Memphis were wearing in 1968? Of course I am asking you to use your long memory to recall this one, the same long memory that screened Birth of a Nation in the White House with the support of President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ryan, I am asking you to use your short term memory and recall when you were believed to be a bank robber instead of an account holder. What am I talking about?
I am talking about identity. It’s simple, stop using the N-word in your movies. You have to be more responsible. Ryan, America is the birthplace of the minstrel show. Read that again. Do you understand that the image that you now put on the screen matters? It mattered in the 19th and 20th centuries and it matters now. It is not simply enough to rely on the sentiment of the entertainer for guidance. In other words, stop using any type of rap artist to support the rationale of this behavior.
Shall we…?
Let’s take a look together…In Sinners, you had Michael B. Jordan referring to his relative with the N-word in the first few minutes of the movie. Unfortunately, this continued throughout the movie. Huh? Oh, you will probably say that this is because Sinners is a period piece right? Wrong. In Creed, you had Michael B. Jordan, during his boxing match, calling his coach in his corner by the N-word. What!!? You guys (yourself, Michael B. Jordan and Aaron Covington) made a complete mockery of Apollo Creed’s legacy and of Sylvester Stallone’s careful work. This pattern continued all the way through to Creed III when you had this same language used freely between Adonis and Damian. Why Ryan? All eyes are on you, Sir. Do a better job. It’s not acceptable that you don’t know any better or that it’s simply what you are used to.
There’s power in words and identity in names, whether you want to admit it or not.
The Same Mistake…
Why do you keep making this mistake? I’m willing to bet that you probably would have incorporated a racial slur in Black Panther–if you could have gotten away with it. Am I wrong? I doubt it. Look at what you do when left to your own devices. For some, it’s a twisted idea of being cool or something but it couldn’t be further from the truth. You have the resources to read and learn. Even enslaved people managed to read and learn–while risking their lives. Read that sentence again. Come on. Read while you’re getting your fresh hairstyles in place. (Very good job on your hair by the way.) Listen to an audio book while working out. That’s at least 30 minutes, right? Ryan, you and Michael wear nice outfits in interviews, but let me ask you…what difference does it make what you wear or how you present yourself if at your core (and in between your ears) there is an allowance for language today that was implemented during a time when you were considered to be property–no different from a chair?
Come with it
You are better than this! Come with it people, say that I don’t like Ryan Coogler. Say it again! It could not be further from the truth. Ryan, I am so happy for you and I believe in your ability. THAT is why I hold you to the same bar as I do other directors. I am not one of these people who thinks that you are doing well for someone of your background. Remember the teachers who you thought didn’t like you because it seemed like they were being hard on you?? I am that. This is a challenge that I pose to you, publicly. Do better. Make a project (where you have executive control) with a good story and a huge budget with excellent actors that does not incorporate any racial slurs. I am rooting for you. I mentioned the executive control part, Ryan because I credit Disney with the clean language choice of Black Panther.
Production
Now to Michael B. Jordan. Michael, you are going into production more so now, right? The same applies to you. You have a greater responsibility than you probably understand now. You are in the spotlight. You are on the stage and now you are also behind the camera. The world is watching. Show them something beautiful. Michael, you have a program called the Outlier Society Fellowship and you’ve worked with My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, right? That’s great, Sir. Continue your good work by giving the youth something on screen to aspire to…at least in verbiage.
Think About the Children
Back to you, Ryan. You have children. Congratulations. Will it be OK to you if your children address one another with the N-word or any other racial slur? Does that question sting? Well, you must know that by having the “cool guy” and hero in your movies using this language, you are setting the stage where children and immature adults will be even more influenced to speak to one another this way. You can do better. I believe in you…both of you.
That’s what ithinkie.
Published: April 21, 2025
