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| Empire Fox |
No network
television program since the Cosby show has captivated and challenged the
American paradigm of blackness like Empire has.
When peering through the thick vulgar veneer that encapsulates the shows
content a counterculture is seen that challenges the dominant narrative of
acceptance and morality in the current landscape of the American
consciousness. A culture that is
struggling to hold onto its roots while watching its essence be sold and commoditized. With each IPO (initial public offering) and
merger a negotiation is happening and a piece of black Americana is lost.
television program since the Cosby show has captivated and challenged the
American paradigm of blackness like Empire has.
When peering through the thick vulgar veneer that encapsulates the shows
content a counterculture is seen that challenges the dominant narrative of
acceptance and morality in the current landscape of the American
consciousness. A culture that is
struggling to hold onto its roots while watching its essence be sold and commoditized. With each IPO (initial public offering) and
merger a negotiation is happening and a piece of black Americana is lost.
It is no coincidence that in order to hold
onto EMPIRE that Lucius Lyons must engage the resources of a Mimi Whiteman, a
white billion lesbian and the ultimate symbol of contemporary American
culture. The price of being someone in
public has devastated Lucius Lyons in private.
This is evidenced by Jamal’s instances that rest of the family leave the
home of Lucius Lyons at the end of the episode.
Like other negotiations between black and dominate American cultures the
black family, the nucleus of black culture, is separated with the wife/mother
and children being forced to leave the presence of the man/father which is
supposed to be a place of protection and provision. The cost of holding on to the remnants of
this version of black culture appears to be too high. To paraphrase the biblical maxim, what good
is if for the black man to gain less then the whole world and yet loose his
entire soul. The debate then is not
about whether or not Empire is an accurate depiction of black culture, but
rather what should be provoked is a deep examination of what has been loss in
black culture’s negotiations with the contemporary American culture.
onto EMPIRE that Lucius Lyons must engage the resources of a Mimi Whiteman, a
white billion lesbian and the ultimate symbol of contemporary American
culture. The price of being someone in
public has devastated Lucius Lyons in private.
This is evidenced by Jamal’s instances that rest of the family leave the
home of Lucius Lyons at the end of the episode.
Like other negotiations between black and dominate American cultures the
black family, the nucleus of black culture, is separated with the wife/mother
and children being forced to leave the presence of the man/father which is
supposed to be a place of protection and provision. The cost of holding on to the remnants of
this version of black culture appears to be too high. To paraphrase the biblical maxim, what good
is if for the black man to gain less then the whole world and yet loose his
entire soul. The debate then is not
about whether or not Empire is an accurate depiction of black culture, but
rather what should be provoked is a deep examination of what has been loss in
black culture’s negotiations with the contemporary American culture.