“I just keep losing. I mean, some people just supposed to lose just for balance on Earth.” - Donald Glover as Earnest Marks in "Atlanta"
When I saw that FX was giving Donald Glover a new TV show (or Childish Gambino, his rap name that he came up with using a name generator), I was intrigued and wondered what it exactly would encompass. When I saw it was a show about Glover and his cousin, an up and coming rapper trying to make it in Atlanta, dealing with a bad scene and "the struggle", I'm sure many, including myself, probably thought "well I've seen, watched and heard that one before." But Glover isn't exactly the typical rapper; and if you follow his work, he doesn't think like one either.
We're in an odd time nowadays for our country and particularly for TV. Everybody tries to look at everything as if it is a social commentary. Even "South Park" a show that has written several episodes about Mr. Hankey and the Christmas Poo (hilarious ones at that), felt the need to take a stand.
This is why "Atlanta" is a little bit different. Not to say that it doesn't take a stand, particularly on many issues such as police brutality (I cringed, and nodded when watching this commercial in one of the more recent episodes 'Montague', which I highly recommend). But if you watch the episodes, it's not being subtle about its message: it's right there for you to see and in many cases, it's even making fun of it. It talks about racism, hip hop culture, standards and image (there's a episode with a black Justin Bieber, where the rapper, dubbed 'Paperboi' played by Brian 'Tyree' Henry, gets in a fight only to have Henry be the bad guy based on reputation), and it's willing to joke about it.
The show at certain points can almost be considered a satire, with Paperboi being the center of it with an image as a drug-dealing "thug," accused of shooting someone after the first episode and accused of assault after the most recent one, an image that he does try to shy away from at certain points. Many upcoming rappers try to portray themselves as exactly what Paperboi is trying to get away from. In a world where basically you already know what 90% of rap songs are generally going to be about (women, money, weed, etc.) it's kind of refreshing to see someone portraying a rapper who is actually living that and isn't exactly obnoxious about it.
Then there's Glover, or 'Earn', Paperboi's manager who is also going through his own personal version of "the struggle", with no home, little money and a girlfriend and kid to feed and support. There are multiple episodes where he gets into arguments with restaurant staff about things such as not being able to pay market price for something, or whether or not an adult can order a happy meal, which both illustrate the point and do so in a very funny way. He's a great foil character to Paperboi, as a mild-mannered, polite, almost kind of nervous character willing to do anything it takes to succeed or at the very least, get by.
The reason I classify this show as a different yet successful approach, is that Glover has succeeded to tell a similar story in a different manner and more importantly, has actually succeeded in making an audience feel like this is genuine. Race is such a divisive issue in this country and usually when we do have it presented right in front of our faces, it's in a negative context. Whether it be with Blacks Lives Matter protesting the terrible things that happen every day to African-Americans or what either of our presidential candidates are saying about race relations.
Weeks before the show began, Glover said the point of his show "was kind of to show people how it felt to be black, and you can’t really write that down. You kind of have to feel it." He has succeeded in doing so, and in the process, created a positive, pleasant environment to talk about these kind of issues, something many are trying to do with significantly less success. It makes it's point, jokes about it, and opens up the floor for conversation. "Atlanta" isn't trying to force its views on you, rather it just leaves it open to interpretation. It isn't in your face, it's just kind of there. And that's what's special about it.
