B-boying Emerson Meets Richard Wright?

     Beat Street is a movie directed by Stan Lathan. It deals with the struggles of a group of friends as they try to climb their way up the art's chain in 80's Bronx New York. Each member of the group of friends has a special talent that helps the whole "gang" experience many aspects of 80's life. For example, the main character, Kenny, is an all-around hip-hop artist. His brother, Lee, is a "wonderful breaker", as Tracy, a choreographer, puts it. Then, there is Ramon, a graffiti artist, the one "white" person in the group of friends.
     As far as the actors themselves, there is only one familiar face I recognized. That is of Kenny's and Lee's mother, Cora, played by Mary Alice. I recognized her from her rather important role in The Matrix III, as the oracle.
     Each character in Beat Street has a distinct personality and exhibits certain flaws. For example, Kenny has trouble coping with situations that might pose as a minuscule threat to you or I. Though, with him, he "blows up" instantly. One could call it a "short fuse". However, he is the likely hero, as he is the character with the dream to be famous, yadda, yadda, yadda...He eventually gets his job as a fantastic club DJ, blah, blah, blah...And he gets the girl (Tracy) in the end. (DUH!!!)
     Lee is the one I know the least about, which could contribute to some of his apprehensive characteristics. He is a fantastic b-boy and partakes in myriad "battles" throughout the movie at various locations throughout the Bronx. However, for all his capacity as a great breaker, he does not talk very much, and seems to be, only at times, slightly shy. Obviously this shyness instantly leaves him every time he goes into his "uprock".
     Ramon is perhaps the most conflicted of them all. He must deal with his father's pressure to settle down and have a "real life" while he blatantly ignores Ramon's beautiful "burns" on the city's trains. Because of this, Ramon eventually bursts and gives in, deciding to work double-time and get a day job but still act the part of a graffiti artist at night. He does all this while juggling the responsibility of having a family, complete with a baby and all. Eventually, he moves into an apartment with his family together at last.
     As opposed to the book, Black Boy, which deals with the times in which young boys like Richard were extremely confused about racial differences--so much so that they felt they had to feed into and fit these pre-determined stereotypes--Beat Street deals with the difficulties of finding one's self amongst the temptation to stray from one's path in order to become something one does not want to be. This can be a very difficult thing to do, and is almost always easier said than done. Though, as Emerson says, with Self-Reliance, one can accomplish almost any task. Remember that and carry it with you at all times. It will come in handy in surprising situations.
A Presto,
Simon