Review: Trigger Warning with Killer Mike on Netflix
- LeShelle A.Smith
- Feb 18, 2019
- 4 min read
Photo Credit: IMDb
Overview
IMO, Trigger Warning with Killer Mike is what happens when one man's world view exists in a weed cloud but he has the wealth to actually materialize it… and have it featured on Netflix. Our approach to education, employment, entrepreneurship, religion and race relations can be done differently since we all know doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. In a series of six satirical social experiments, Killer Mike, Grammy award winning rapper, entrepreneur and activist presents thought-provoking conversation-worthy "ideas" with which to ponder how we can re-invent social norms by completely turning them on their heads.
Lemme explain in an episode-by-episode breakdown:
Ep.1 - Living Black
Killer Mike has been extremely vocal about the Buy Black Movement, calling for us to open bank accounts with Black owned financial institutions. Out of the gate, Killer Mike attempts to BUY BLACK for 72 hours in Athens, Georgia where buying black is a challenge. He is equipped with some Black Owned essentials (listed below), however, reality set in quick when he couldn't find a black owned hotel or a black owned restaurant where meals were staples and ingredients were produced on Black Owned farms. Dude couldn't even take an Uber… "cuz black people don't make cars." The episode is just another reminder of how integration's impact on the black economic dollar and the challenges our community faces in pursuit of economic independence. Killer Mike put out the call to action: Make every Friday Black Friday - commit one day a week to buying black.
Black Owned businesses featured:
We Buy Black
Your Supermarket
Muhammad's Farm
We Cycle Atlanta
Blue Flame Strip Club
Harmon Brothers
Dawg Gone Good BBQ
Wilson's His & Hers Styling Shop
West Broad Farms
Ep.2 - F**k School
No doubt the educational system is failing. Report after report after report question if college remains the gateway to the American dream as it once was. Killer Mike suggests what many other advocates have recommended: teaching trades. Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, brick mason, and HVAC certified individuals can make an honest livable wage in less time than it takes to get a 4-year degree and without accruing a lifetime of debt. Just when you think Killer Mike isn’t saying anything radical, he suggests a brand new curriculum, marrying trades and entertainment - vocational voyeurism. Yup. Good ol'fashion porn.
Ep.3 - White Gang Privilege
If the Hells Angels can incorporate themselves, successfully create a streams of income by selling trademarked merch, why can’t notorious "street fraternities" like the Crips and Bloods replicate their accomplishments? Killer Mike assists 2 local brotherhoods to independently develop Crip-a-Cola or Blood Pop. If you ever watched the memorable crack cooking scene from Menace to Society, watching trap boys make a carbonated drink is effing hilarious because this definitely isn't that. But to answer my original question, why can't Crips and Bloods transcend their image and turn a profit… because they are Black, they can't do what white folks do! Or can they?
Ep. 4 - New Jesus
My least favorite episode of the series, Killer Mike attempts to obliterate the idea of a white Messiah for Black people as negatively portrayed by Christianity. He chooses to do this with the creation of a new church, the Church of Sleep. I find this episode moronic and offensive. First, Jesus was an unarmed Black man, healing, teaching, feeding, praying to, for and with an oppressed people. Second, even if anyone came to the conclusion that Jesus is a myth, how exactly is creating an alternative myth that consists of a mute Black leader named Sleep going to free people?
Ep. 5 - Outside the Box
After seeking out a retirement home as his new musical target audience, Killer Mike engages with the seniors who still hold old world views like believing most, if not all crime, is committed by Black people. Seeing music as a way to build a bridge and break ideological barriers, Killer Mike moves on to create a politically and racially diverse music group. This episode was better than all 4 season of Puffy's Making the Band on MTV and just as worthy of a Netflix spin-off. The band member personalities representing the different segments of life in America merged into an education on tolerance, racial alliances and the hesitancy to change.
Ep. 6 - Kill Your Master
In the spirit of Nigerian musical icon Fela Kuti, Killer Mike decides to secede from America and develop his own republic, New Africa. Killer Mike's vision of New Africa is a place where the citizens can be of any race, ethnicity or sexuality are welcome to live in a coop - building a nation, from the ground up. New African is democracy complete with its own currency, defense system, education via the aforementioned vocational porn, Crip-a-Cola is New Africa's national export, pledge of allegiance, national anthem and the Church of Sleep.
Overall
If you have not seen Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, you missing an opportunity for dialog about some of our pressing issues. I suggest you watch it and let's discuss. Weed for future discussion with me is optional.
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