The Pursuit of Lightning in a Bottle
Song of the Week: Lupe Fiasco (feat. Jill Scott)
Today’s vibe is Lupe Fiasco. We’re officially in the last month of 2023, and what better way to kick it off than with a daydream, especially on cold Fall day.
And Jill Scott is on the chorus? C’mon now.
Over Thanksgiving, I told myself I'd re-watch The Boondocks for the millionth time.
I did, and man… This show gets better with time.
When The Boondocks first made its way onto TV, it was 2005. We were in the middle of the Bush presidency, and many of you reading this post were in high school (or college, probably).
The show was transformative in so many ways.
It was anime, but it was also Black.
It was conscious, but also satire.
I can’t help but think anytime that I revisit that show that they captured
LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE.
For those unfamiliar with the phrase, catching lightning in a bottle means you did something amazing, and nearly impossible to do again.
The greatest works known to man happen when you can capture it.
Nas’ debut Album? Lightning in a bottle.
The Godfather? Lightning in a bottle.
But how does one Pursue Lightning in a bottle?
This is just my opinion, but it requires 3 things:
The right people
The right source material
The Intangibles aka the GOD factor (i.e. luck you can’t plan for)
These three things being present in your creative work will virtually guarantee you’ve caught lightning.
Let’s break down each using The Boondocks.
1. THE RIGHT PEOPLE
To capture lightning in a bottle the first thing you need are the right people — creative minds, strategic minds, and everything in between.
“The right people” mainly fit into two buckets: great talent and the right partners.
A: Great Talent
The Boondocks was a melting pot of incredible talent that can’t be replicated including Regina King, & John Witherspoon who voiced the characters Huey, Riley, and Grandad respectively.
You had guest stars including Samuel Jackson, Mos Def, Katt Williams, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, and Busta Rhymes too.
But, more important than that, you had the genius of…
Aaron McGruder (The Creator)
Aaron originally started The Boondocks as a weekly comic strip in the newspaper. It gained so much attention that it eventually got picked up as a tv show.
His penchant for political and social commentary is the engine behind the show.
Carl Jones (The Producer)
Carl voiced several characters on The Boondocks and his personal life also played a role in the development of some of the episodes. If Aaron is the engine then Carl was like the transmission — you need both to make it work.
The chemistry Carl had with the creator Aaron Mcgruder was unmatched and although the show was difficult to make the proof of its power is undeniable.
Consider Season 2, Episode 2 “Tom, Sarah, and Usher” — It was actually based off of a real situation that happened to Carl! He also voices the waiter in the clip below.
But on top of having the right creatives in place, to capture lightning in a bottle you must have…
1B: The Right Partner(s)
The Boondocks probably wouldn’t have been on the air if it wasn’t for Adult Swim.
It was a satirical cartoon with adult themes geared towards a Black audience. They made fun of everyone from BET to rappers. Streaming wasn’t really a thing, so where else could it live?
They had a partner in the right niche that was invested in letting them do what they wanted to do creatively, and because of that they made an impact that’s almost impossible to duplicate.
Seriously.
Where else could you write episodes like “The Itis” or make original songs like “Eff Granddad” (RIP Nate Dogg).
2. The Right Source Material
Once you’ve got the right people in the mix, you’ve gotta have some great source material i.e. cultural references.
The Boondocks was iconic because it referenced so many taboo conversations in Black commercial.
Each character represented a different aspect of the Black community:
Huey was the conscious revolutionary fighting against an unjust system to no avail.
Riley was the misguided youth who only cared about shining & looking cool.
Granddad was the older generation who left the community after getting money.
And that’s just the tip of the ice berg. See the clip below for context. The Boondocks is deep.
From the very first episode where Huey says “Jesus is Black, Ronald Reagan is the Devil…” to episodes like “Smokin with Cigarettes”, they were able to tap into moments that were relevant culturally and make stories that resonated with people for decades to come.
See an example from season 3 below:
Original Clip:
The Boondocks episode based on the clip:
All of this brings us to the final piece…
3. The Intangibles
This last part is the most important part of capturing lightning.
I think Quincy Jones said it best when he was asked about the act of creating. Ultimately, he said:
“You've got to leave space for God to walk through the room”
There’s something about the art of creating that relies on that particular intangible.
The Boondocks was such a special show not just because what it represented, but because it possessed qualities that you can't really plan for:
It came out right before social media became a massive part of our daily lives
It was released on Adult Swim at the height of Toonami — making it an endearing part of many Millennials’ childhood.
The cultural references they used were viral sensations — some of whom still have viral moments to this very day.
Multiple attempts at a reboot have been unsuccessful (although you can never say never), but honestly, a satire like The Boondocks would probably get cancelled quickly in this era.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
If you’re reading this you’re likely a marketer or a creative hoping to capture lightning in a bottle.
Again, it’s tricky and not easily done.
I think the best we can do is create the conditions for it — an open jar if you get what I mean.
As you think of the projects you’re creating(at work or otherwise) figure out how to get with the right people/find the right partners, and what inspiration is driving your work.
That last part though? It’s not really up to you, but I’m willing to bet that if the conditions are right and you crack the door just a little bit you’ll make something extraordinary happen.
And don’t think too hard. It’ll all come together in time.
Peace.
The Boondocks is absolutely priceless. As a member of Gen Z I feel like this show is still the exception when it comes to balancing humor, ‘politics’, and Black pop and historical moments. Not to mention, as you note, making the Boondocks an animation that mirror traditional anime’s creates such a unique lore for Black fans. The Boondocks is a once in a lifetime lightening in a bottle opportunity where various Black experiences are portrayed through characters, themes, and storylines that will forever inform Black creators and people for generations. Thanks for another banger essay.