Jeff Chang

The “Who We Be” Interview

with Kam Williams

Visionary Author Talks about His NAACP Image Award-Nomination

Jeff Chang is a new sage thinker with his finger on the pulse of American culture. His first book, the critically-acclaimed “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation,” collected a cornucopia of honors, including the American Book Award and the Asian-American Literary Award. 

Next, he edited “Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop,” an anthology of essays and interviews. Here, he talks about his latest opus, “Who We Be: The Colorization of America,” which has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction category.   

Don’t let yourself be dissuaded by the grammatically-incorrect title, or it’s Ebonics chapter headings like “I Am I Be” and “What You Got to Say?” for the actual text isn’t written in inscrutable slang as implied, but rather makes a most articulate analysis of the evolution of American society from the March on Washington to the present.

Kam Williams: Hi Jeff. Thanks for the time and congratulations on the NAACP Image Award nomination for “Who We Be.” You used to just write about hip-hop. What inspired you to expand your focus for this book?

Jeff Chang: When I finished “Can't Stop Won't Stop,” I realized that the big hole was in talking about all those who had influenced me during my intellectual awakening during the mid-1980s and into 1990s. These were people from the generation that fell between the gap of the Civil Rights Generation and the Hip-Hop Generation--teachers and thinkers like Gary Delgado and Ron Takaki and Gloria Anzaldua, writers like Ishmael Reed, Ntozake Shange, and Jessica Hagedorn. They helped to theorize multiculturalism and their ideas carried us through the culture wars. 

KW: Why did you decide to examine the evolution of American culture over the last half-century?

JC: I guess every project has been a little autobiographical--this is the era that I have lived through. And now that I teach and mentor, I am always surprised and a little sad at how little my students know about what people their age did during the 1980s and 1990s. We weren't silent. They hear endlessly about the proud brave youth of the 1960s and even the 1970s, but not much history has been done on those who came afterward. In part, this is a function of demographics--we are the shadow generation between the so-called Boomers and Millennials. In part, ours is not a history of glory and victory. When it comes to racial justice, it's been quite the opposite. It's not a story with a happy ending.

KW: Where do you envision America to be a half-century from now?

JC: I'm less successful at predicting than I am at reading history. I do write from a sense of urgency, though. I worry that if we don't move toward a consensus for racial justice, that we'll instead continue the current trends of re-segregation and end up with a more rigid, insurmountable racial caste system in 2042. That would be a horrible outcome for everyone, including whites.

KW: Do you think you have a unique perspective as a Chinese/Hawaiian- American?

JC: I've been blessed to come from a background in which my family has intermarried with every race and culture imaginable. My family looks a lot like President Obama's, but much bigger. I suppose I look at the society I'm living in the way I look at my family. Because we are family does not mean there aren't problems, but we owe it to each other to keep on talking, to try to work them out. This may make me a bit Pollyanna-ish, but you gotta believe in something, and every belief comes from somewhere, and that's mine. 

KW: “Who We Be” reminds me of Marshall McLuhan’s “The Medium Is the Massage” [not his famous essay “The Medium Is the Message”] which was a dizzying mix of essays, asides, aphorisms, photos and drawings. Are you familiar with that book?

JC: I am! Dizzying was exactly the right word. From the beginning I wanted the book to be visual--in the writing and in its content and presentation. McLuhan pointed out in the mid-60s, that we were now living in a mixed up culture where visuality was much more important. The word "colorization" comes from TV, and this is also happening right at the time McLuhan and Fiore are making their book. So, in a lot of ways, I was trying to recognize that history, while merging that with the history of the representation of people of color in the post-civil rights era. Such a great question! Thank you.

KW: You’re welcome, Jeff. How would you describe your approach to cobbling together the content you included in your book?

JC: The organizing metaphor was seeing--how we see race. I knew I had to move in this direction after “Can't Stop Won't Stop,” and I had some elements--Morrie Turner's cartoons and his amazing life story, on the one hand, and the street art of the Obama presidential campaign, on the other. Greg Tate, Lydia Yee, Roberta Uno, Vijay Prashad and others hit me with other key pieces that helped to shape the narrative. And as I was finishing the book, Vijay Iyer hit me sideways with his insight about listening versus seeing race. He made me understand that jazz and soul and blues are of an earlier period in which listening was central. Hip-hop comes up in an era of seeing--and so it gets complicated. 

KW: What message do you hope people will take away from the book?

JC: That we need to have a real conversation about race that does not try to ignore the legacies of discrimination, debasement and inequity. And we need to transform the culture of violence that continues to lead us in each generation to have to explosively protest the way that bodies of color, often specifically black bodies, are targeted and contained. I think the best way for us to approach this is to recognize and name re-segregation as we see it, and, through cultural interventions, push toward a new consensus for racial justice.

KW: What do you make of the nationwide demonstrations in response to the failure of the grand juries to indict the police officers in the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases?

JC: They are among the most sustained and widespread protests against state violence against African-Americans in history. And they are being organized and moved in a decentralized way by thousands of ordinary Americans--mostly youths, mostly women. There are no central leaders, despite the media's focus on some older charismatic men, and that makes them impossible to stop. They give me clarity about my work and they give me hope that we might be in a transformative moment. 

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

JC: Not really. Every question is a blessing.

KW: What was your first job?

JC: I went to a private school on "scholarship" which meant that, at age 10, I was serving lunch to my peers and wiping up the tables after them.

KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

JC: If it's pleasurable, I ain't guilty! [LOL]

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

JC: So many! Two of the most recent have been especially amazing: Claudia Rankine's “Citizen,” and my man Marlon James's “A Brief History of Seven Killings.”

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What was the last song you listened to? 

JC: Again, so many. This is what's on right now: Sade's "Love You More" [JRocc Mix] https://soundcloud.com/jrocc/love-you-more-rocc-mix

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

JC: Hawaiian-style Pipi, beef stew.

KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you?

JC: Art: music, visual art, literature, etcetera that connects big ideas and calls us to do something.

KW: Was there a meaningful spiritual component to your childhood?

JC: Yes. My grandparents were Buddhist and my parents converted to Catholicism. I'd say my spiritual beliefs are some odd, contradictory hybrid of both. 

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

JC: Someone who is trying. 

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

JC: Right now it would be for my brother-in-law Arnel to be alive again. He passed away suddenly in July.

KW: My condolences. The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

JC: Oh, man, I can't remember!

KW: The Melissa Harris-Perry question: How did your first big heartbreak impact who you are as a person?

JC: It made me understand how important recognizing your transgressions is toward reaching reconciliation.

KW: Can you give me a generic Jeff Chang question I can ask other people I interview?

JC: What are the three values that guide everything you do?

KW: Thanks! What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

JC: Don't follow me, follow your own trail, and if it crosses mine for a while, welcome.

KW: The Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?

JC: By my actions and my children.

KW: And lastly, what’s in your wallet?

JC: The bare minimum I need!

KW: Thanks again for the time, Jeff, and good luck with the book.

JC: Kam,  thanks for this amazing interview and for all your generosity. With lots of respect and gratitude.

To become a member of the NAACP and to vote for the Image Awards, visit: http://www.naacpimageawards.net/become-a-member-to-vote/

Farewell, Herr Schwarz

Film Review by Kam Williams

Descendant of Holocaust Survivor Unearths Family Skeletons in Roots Documentary           

Although Yael Reuveny was born in Israel 35 years after the end of World War II, her formative years were nevertheless substantially shaped by events that had transpired half a world away during the Holocaust. For, she and her mother had both been raised around an embittered concentration camp survivor who had never been able to forgive the Nazis.

After all, her grandmother Michla’s entire family had perished in a death camp in Poland, or at least so she thought. However, there had been a rumor that her brother Feiv’ke might have survived; but Michla lost hope when he failed to materialize at a rendezvous at the Lodz train station that had been arranged by an intermediary.

So, Michla made her way to Tel Aviv where, despite being plagued by nightmares, she would marry and have three kids. Unfortunately, she was also widowed at a young age, and eventually went to her grave still harboring a grudge against Germany.

Meanwhile, her brother changed his name to Peter Schwarz, and married a German gentile with whom he had three children. And not only did he hide the fact that he was Jewish from his offspring, but he continued to live in Schlieben, the town where he’d been imprisoned in a Nazi death camp.

            When Ms. Reuveny caught wind of the existence of another branch of her family tree, she became obsessed with tracking down her long-lost relatives. That five-year quest is the focus of Farewell, Herr Schwarz, a bittersweet documentary detailing an attempt to reconcile a pair of siblings’ polar opposite response to the Holocaust.

After examining the divergent behavior of siblings Michla and Peter, director Reuveny devotes attention to how the pair’s second and third generations have adjusted to life. It is quite a surprise to learn that Peter’s grandson Stephan’s dream has been to move to Israel ever since learning that he is a quarter Jewish. And by contrast, filmmaker/narrator Reuveny opts to settle in Europe, feeling perfectly at home there upon completion of her labor of love.

            A fascinating, generations-spanning genealogical journey!

Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

In Hebrew, German and English with subtitles

Running time: 101 minutes

Distributor: Kino Lorber

To see a trailer for Farewell, Herr Schwarz, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKZ1tPunFvw      

The Search for General Tso
Film Review by Kam Williams

General Tso‘s Chicken is the most popular takeout dish ordered by American diners. But who was General Tso? Was he actually a military hero, or was his title merely honorary, a la that of “Colonel” Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame?

Was he even the originator of the delectable entrée that bears his name, or was the ingenious recipe created by his wife or a cook? What are its ingredients? When was it introduced to the United States? Why has it proved so popular with the American palate? And are the Chinese as fond of the sweet and spicy fried fare?

These are among the intriguing questions posed by The Search for General Tso, a culinary documentary any Chinese food lover is likely to find fascinating. The picture was written and directed by its host/narrator, Ian Cheney, whose dogged, globe-spanning quest for answers led from Brooklyn to Asia and back around the U.S.

Along the way, we learn that there was, indeed, a General Tso, a legend who distinguished himself on the battlefield in the 19th Century towards the end of the Qing Dynasty. However, his clueless descendants have no idea how their esteemed ancestor came to be associated with the unfamiliar dish, since it is a very modern invention traceable to Taiwan in the 1960s. Without ever being introduced to mainland China, it crossed the Pacific Ocean a decade or so later, taking the States by storm, starting with San Francisco.  

Besides unearthing these and other intriguing tidbits, intrepid Cheney devotes his time to tracking down and interviewing chefs claiming to be the pioneer who first put General Tso’s on the menu. Of course, he also devours many mouth-watering morsels of the honey-glazed chicken chunks, too, which is exactly what you’ll be craving as the closing credits roll.  

The cinematic equivalent of an entertaining encyclopedic entry about the most irresistible offering on today’s Chinese takeout menu!

Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

In English and Mandarin with subtitles

Running time: 72 minutes

Distributor: IFC Films / Sundance Selects

To see a trailer for The Search for General Tso, visit:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z0hmBIR8BE   

Unbroken
Film Review by Kam Williams

Do you remember how, Infamous, a biopic about Truman Capote, was released right on the heels of the one entitled Capote? But because the latter had already received considerable critical acclaim, including an Oscar for the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, the Johnnie-come-lately had little chance of making more than a blip on the radar.

The same fate might befall Unbroken, a World War II saga directed by Angelina Jolie. The parallels between this picture and The Railway Man are impossible to ignore, since they both recall the real-life ordeal of a POW tortured by a sadistic, Japanese officer.

The Railway Man, which opened last April, was based on Eric Lomax’s autobiography, and starred the charismatic Colin Firth in the title role opposite Tanroh Ishida as the sick interrogator who seemed to take pleasure in beating him mercilessly. Although Lomax would survive Singapore, he was left traumatized by the grueling ordeal, and ultimately attempted to exorcise his demons by returning to Southeast Asia to track down his abuser.

The correspondingly-themed Unbroken was adapted from the Laura Hillenbrand’s (Seabiscuit) best-seller of the same name recounting bombardier Louie Lamperini’s (Jack O’Connell) struggle to survive a POW camp in Tokyo after his plane crashed in the Pacific during a rescue mission. Because he had represented the U.S. in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, he was singled out for special mistreatment by a cruel prison guard (Takamasa Ishihara). And later in life, he would return to the Orient to try to confront that evil creep who’d singled him out for an extra measure of persecution.

Unbroken, like The Railway Man, even ends with a touching, closing credits photo montage featuring snapshots of both the hero and his tormentor which only added to this critic’s profound sense of déjà vu. An honorable, historical drama who’s primary flaw rests in its being released too soon after a more-compelling biopic revolving around similar subject-matter.

An uplifting tribute to the indomitability of the human spirit. 

Very Good (2.5 stars)

Rated PG-13 for brief profanity and intense brutality

In English, Italian and Japanese with subtitles

Running time: 137 minutes

Distributor: Universal Pictures

To see a trailer for Unbroken, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8mBzKLhL0U

The 10 Best, No, the 100 Best Films of 2014
by Kam Williams

Kam’s Annual Assessment of the Cream of the Cinematic Crop

2014 has produced a cornucopia of great films, at least a dozen of which has an excellent shot of taking home the Academy Award for Best Picture, including Boyhood, Birdman, The Imitation Game and Whiplash, to name a few. However, all the stars seemed to be aligned for my personal favorite, Selma, the searing civil rights saga, set in March of 1965, about the historic march led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film is arriving in theaters at a moment when race is once again an urgent issue threatening to rip asunder the fabric of the country. So, it might serve as a timely reminder about the effectiveness of adopting a philosophy of non-violence.

Furthermore, this is the first feature-length biopic about Dr. King, which is hard to believe since the revered national icon was assassinated way back in 1968. Thirdly, the picture’s wide release practically coincides with his birthday, which has been celebrated as a federal holiday since 1986.

With Black History Month following close on its heels in February, it’s easy to envision Selma building up a head of steam over the course of awards season, when momentum dictates the favorites and often determines the winners in the Oscar sweepstakes.

10 Best Big Budget Films

Selma
Nightcrawler
Birdman 
The Equalizer
The Imitation Game  
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Fury
Kill the Messenger
Jump Street
This Is Where I Leave You 


Big Budgets Honorable Mention

American Sniper 
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Edge of Tomorrow
The Theory of Everything
The Judge
A Most Violent Year
Godzilla
Top Five
Non-Stop
Earth to Echo
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Noah
The Gambler  
Beyond the Lights


Best Independent Films


Whiplash
Boyhood
Wish I Was Here 
Calvary
Dear White People
Life's a Breeze
Two-Bit Waltz
Belle
The M Word
Begin Again 


Independent Films Honorable Mention


The Retrieval
Obvious Child
Chef
Half of a Yellow Sun
Snowpiercer
1,000 Times Good Night
The Two Faces of January
Coherence
St. Vincent
Happy Christmas
Believe Me
Alan Partridge
Hector and the Search for Happiness
The Machine
One Chance


Best Foreign Films

Web Junkie (China) 
The Way He Looks (Brazil) 
Ilo Ilo (Singapore)
Zero Motivation (Israel)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Japan)  
The Almost Man (Norway)
Metro Manila (The Philippines)
Abuse of Weakness (France)
Two Days, One Night (Belgium)
Wetlands (Germany)


Foreign Films Honorable Mention


Dancing in Jaffa (Israel)
Stranger by the Lake (France)
Pioneer (Norway)
The Circle (Switzerland)
The Missing Picture (Cambodia)
Demi-Soeur (France)
Fifi Howls from Happiness (Iran)
Grand Depart (France)
Jews of Egypt (Egypt)
Guilty of Romance (Japan)
Soul of a Banquet (China)
Big Bad Wolves (Israel)
Plot for Peace (South Africa)
Journey to the West (China)
We Are the Best (Sweden)


Best Documentaries

The Barefoot Artist
Life Itself
Ivory Tower
The Internet’s Own Boy
Mobilize
American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs
Vanishing Pearls
America the Beautiful 3
Pump 
Second Opinion

Documentaries Honorable Mention

Citizen Four
Keep on Keepin’ On  
Little Hope Was Arson
Breastmilk
Tales of the Grim Sleeper
Kids for Ca$h  
I’ll Be Me
Spanish Lake
Altina
The Great Invisible
I Am Eleven
Tanzania: A Journey Within
Advanced Style
12 O’Clock Boys
Take Me to the River