When I heard about The Get Down, I knew it was going to be something I liked. A musical dramatization about the birth of hip hop, executive produced by my favorite rapper Nas, featuring the goofy and bad acting Jaden Smith, as well as good actors like Shameik Moore and Giancarlo Esposito. Yet, when I sat down and watched the first episode, I realized I love this.
So the show opens pretty slow with Zeke burning the eggs while rehearsing some poetry he wrote for Mylene, his unrequited love. He burns the breakfast and we get to meet his aunt and uncle who is horribly arrogant has self labeled himself a father figure. His aunt just wants Zeke to stay out of trouble and keep his head out of the.
Zeke heads off to church where he meets Mylene and they record a disco song for her demo. She plans to go to Les Inferno a nightclub, that is a drug front and the hangout for Cadillac. They head off to school but not before Mylene's sister tells their preacher father. The two sit in a stairwell and smoke a joint. That's reefer, marijuana. Don't be shocked two high school students are smoking because everyone in this show from 14 to the cradle smokes. That is, unless they do cocaine or heroin. I wasn't alive in the 70s so I'm not sure if weed was really around like that. But it's funny in the context of this show.
Zeke recites the poem he wrote for Mylene and she blushes then kisses him. Then she tells him he needs to grow up because she has goals and will not be held back by anyone. He says he wants to be her boyfriend and she says it will never happen then leaves as Zeke takes some deep breaths to hold back tears. The next time we see them they're in Ms Green's English class where Zeke has won a poetry contest but refuses to recite his poem then claims he plagiarized it. Ms Green asks him to stay after and before leaving Mylene tells her that Zeke really did write it. After Mrs. Green calls him a coward he recites the poem from memory proving he wrote it. They both shed tears and Ms. Green tells Zeke has has potential to leave the hood before she realizes he's already run away.
Then we meet Mylene's friends, Regina who never stops talking about sex. I actually had to look her name up after this episode because it wasn't mentioned. Then there's Yolanda who is one of the crazy ass Kiplings and also never stops talking about sex. They think Mylene will have to sleep with someone to be signed to a record deal. But she says she isn't that kind of girl, then we plan to Zeke and the other crazy ass Kiplings.
First there's Ra-Ra, he's the same age as Zeke and acts like an old ass man. He even carries a briefcase to school. You may recognize him as Mister from Mister and Pete, the guy who tried to tear out you heart, you know there's about to be some of that strong black acting. But seriously, he is an old ass man and advises Zeke on everything. I'm not sure why Zeke is taking his advice. He suggested killing someone to earn Mylene's love. He's also a lover of Star Wars and comic books, the guy can't stop quoting Obi Wan. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Then there's Dizee, the artist and tagger under the name of Rumi 411. He's played by Jaden Smith who is just playing Jaden Smith. Seriously, he might be my second favorite character. He's just spouting random quotes and he's obsessed with art, especially graffiti and looks up to Shaolin Fantastic, the legendary tagger. He's just so goofy and is always zoning out and doing something weird. This really is the perfect role for Jaden. Lastly is Boo-Boo and I don't know what he does other than tag along, he's the youngest and carries Dizee's bags when he's tagging. He is forgettable.
Zeke attempts to buy a record for Mylene but it's stolen from him by some crazy guy, who we later learn is Shaolin Fantastic. He's chased by the Warlords gang and Zeke follows until he has a chance to scoop up the record. After all the kids have dinner at the Kippling's house to the sound of Mr. Kippling's saxophone. Afterwards Mylene and the girls head to Disco Inferno. The girls get in without being ID'd because the bouncer thinks they're sexy. Zeke tries to get in but he doesn't have any women with him. He tries to buy his way in and the bouncer smacks his money into the air. At which point Zeke has a scuffle with his drug addict.
At this point Shaolin recognizes him and runs up on him. The two go in back where they continue to threaten each other over who gets the record. There's never a single punch thrown. Shaolin pulls a knife, but is to afraid to cut Zeke and Zeke cries about Mylene but is dragged out by Cadillac's goons because Cadillac has been trying to sleep with Mylene all night and she just isn't with that. Then shooting breaks out.
Zeke gets the girls out and attempts to walk Mylene home. She tells him they can't and never will be together because he doesn't have any goals, he wastes his talent and he's childish. Zeke browns down crying the same way every teenage boy does when he's dumped for the first time, or he's rejected in the most brutal way possible.
He meets with the Kiplings. Ra-Ra has seen Star Wars, while Dizee and Boo-Boo went out and tagged a train and talked about seven inch dicks. Yeah, I'm not touching that. Shaolin has managed to track Zeke down because he wants that damn record, and he ain't playing. The Kiplings try to stand up to him especially Dizee in what might be the funniest scene of the first episode. Dizee asking "who is this motherfucker," and Zeke responding "I don't know this crazy motherfucker," Shaolin asking "Are you still crying over this bitch" and Zeke getting mad that he's still calling Mylene a bitch, Shaolin getting mad nobody knows who he is. Dizee tries to claim the turf because he's tagged it and Shaolin snatches his can of spray paint and slides down their meeting rock in the coolest way possible spray painting his name and making everyone lose their minds. It's just fucking silly.
Shaolin promises he'll cheer them up by taking them to The Get Down. It turns out to be a party hosted by Grandmaster Flash. It's named after the part of a disco record that could be looped which allowed a rapper to flow over the beat break. Shaolin wants to be a DJ and he feels like Zeke can be his wordsmith, or MC. They party, Zeke drops some dope rhymes and they go back to Shaolin's place, an abandoned building.
Meanwhile Mylene returns home and her mother is staring out the window waiting for her to return safely and her dad is reading from the book of Revelation in the dark. When she walks in her father beats her while yelling Bible verses. Her mother pulls him away long enough to tell her to run to her uncle, a corrupt community activist. He's got good goals, but he's crooked as fuck and it's funny.
The boys head to the roof and Shaolin explains how each area is held by a different DJ. Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa (To be fair, this was filmed before all his molestation charges came out) and Grandmaster Flash. Zeke asks where their spot is and Shaolin claims they'll make one. Calling them The Funky 4 + 1.
So the first episode was great, but it was so damn long. Don't get me wrong it was great as fuck. Usually kid actors and teenage actors annoy the fuck out of me, but they got good actors. Earlier I said Dizee was my second favorite character, that's because Shaolin is my favorite. He's just good at everything and he's so damn cool. It's so weird because Shameik Moore played Malcolm in the film Dope, check that out. This is the complete opposite and it might be even better.
It's a good ass show and the soundtrack is awesome. The only weird thing is that Nas voices adult Zeke who has become a famous rapper. That's weird because adult Zeke is played by Daveed Diggs, who is a rapper. I don't know man, I like Nas, he's my favorite rapper, but it's weird as fuck hearing him rap about growing up in the Bronx when we know he's from Queens. Other than that it's a damn good show and you should be watching.
At this point Shaolin recognizes him and runs up on him. The two go in back where they continue to threaten each other over who gets the record. There's never a single punch thrown. Shaolin pulls a knife, but is to afraid to cut Zeke and Zeke cries about Mylene but is dragged out by Cadillac's goons because Cadillac has been trying to sleep with Mylene all night and she just isn't with that. Then shooting breaks out.
Zeke gets the girls out and attempts to walk Mylene home. She tells him they can't and never will be together because he doesn't have any goals, he wastes his talent and he's childish. Zeke browns down crying the same way every teenage boy does when he's dumped for the first time, or he's rejected in the most brutal way possible.
He meets with the Kiplings. Ra-Ra has seen Star Wars, while Dizee and Boo-Boo went out and tagged a train and talked about seven inch dicks. Yeah, I'm not touching that. Shaolin has managed to track Zeke down because he wants that damn record, and he ain't playing. The Kiplings try to stand up to him especially Dizee in what might be the funniest scene of the first episode. Dizee asking "who is this motherfucker," and Zeke responding "I don't know this crazy motherfucker," Shaolin asking "Are you still crying over this bitch" and Zeke getting mad that he's still calling Mylene a bitch, Shaolin getting mad nobody knows who he is. Dizee tries to claim the turf because he's tagged it and Shaolin snatches his can of spray paint and slides down their meeting rock in the coolest way possible spray painting his name and making everyone lose their minds. It's just fucking silly.
Shaolin promises he'll cheer them up by taking them to The Get Down. It turns out to be a party hosted by Grandmaster Flash. It's named after the part of a disco record that could be looped which allowed a rapper to flow over the beat break. Shaolin wants to be a DJ and he feels like Zeke can be his wordsmith, or MC. They party, Zeke drops some dope rhymes and they go back to Shaolin's place, an abandoned building.
Meanwhile Mylene returns home and her mother is staring out the window waiting for her to return safely and her dad is reading from the book of Revelation in the dark. When she walks in her father beats her while yelling Bible verses. Her mother pulls him away long enough to tell her to run to her uncle, a corrupt community activist. He's got good goals, but he's crooked as fuck and it's funny.
The boys head to the roof and Shaolin explains how each area is held by a different DJ. Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa (To be fair, this was filmed before all his molestation charges came out) and Grandmaster Flash. Zeke asks where their spot is and Shaolin claims they'll make one. Calling them The Funky 4 + 1.
So the first episode was great, but it was so damn long. Don't get me wrong it was great as fuck. Usually kid actors and teenage actors annoy the fuck out of me, but they got good actors. Earlier I said Dizee was my second favorite character, that's because Shaolin is my favorite. He's just good at everything and he's so damn cool. It's so weird because Shameik Moore played Malcolm in the film Dope, check that out. This is the complete opposite and it might be even better.
It's a good ass show and the soundtrack is awesome. The only weird thing is that Nas voices adult Zeke who has become a famous rapper. That's weird because adult Zeke is played by Daveed Diggs, who is a rapper. I don't know man, I like Nas, he's my favorite rapper, but it's weird as fuck hearing him rap about growing up in the Bronx when we know he's from Queens. Other than that it's a damn good show and you should be watching.
You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
Follow @OriginalKingD
Follow @OriginalKingD
