JAYFORCE

https://twitter.com/Jayforce_/status/249408344459202561

Jackie Robinson was one of my heroes & one of the reasons I wore number “42” while playing football in high school & college. The crazy thing is… I was never into baseball that much, but my family was: My Uncle Charles and my Grandmother first taught me about Jackie Robinson. People important to me imparted the wisdom of why #42 was so significant to sports, this country, Black people, & to ALL people. And I am glad they did. You have to understand that Jackie Robinson was not only a great athlete in football, track, & variety of other sports, but he also excelled in the military. If you’ve been following my blog you may have seen me post pics of the 761st Black Panther Tank Division during World War II.  Jackie Robinson was a part of that historic team of black U.S. servicemen in the 761st Black Panther Tank Battalion. (761st.com)  It’s easy to see how Jackie Robinson’s significance extends well beyond just sports. Here’s the PR text that accompanied the YouTube video trailer for the movie (above):

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures are teaming up with director Brian Helgeland for “42,” the powerful story of Jackie Robinson, the legendary baseball player who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he joined the roster of the Brooklyn Dodgers. “42” will star Academy Award(R) nominee Harrison Ford (“Witness”) as the innovative Dodger’s general manager Branch Rickey, the MLB executive who first signed Robinson to the minors and then helped to bring him up to the show, and Chadwick Boseman (“The Express”) as Robinson, the heroic African American who was the first man to break the color line in the big leagues.

Now, if Hollywood could just find another artist besides Jay-Z to feature on the soundtrack & movie trailer for every movie about Black people. That’s the part of it all that gets so damn annoying to me. What’s wrong with using some black music from the time period this movie actually takes place in. Although Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was a man from Cairo Georgia just 200 miles south of Atlanta. A more appropriate song to use for the trailer would have been something from that time period or where he was from in the south. I vented about this on my twitter page over the weekend so I’ll just stop right here. I still look forward to seeing the film, but I wish Hollywood respect the black music from the times. It’s the reason why young kids today in 2012 don’t respect Jazz, Blues, & other forms of black music because they begin to think black music only started with rap music. Jackie Robinson’s legacy pre-dates hip hop & Jay-Z & his historical significance as an individual is even greater.

https://twitter.com/Jayforce_/status/249408344459202561

Anyone who sees me around regularly knows I’m always rocking one of my Jackie Robinson T-shirts every now & then.

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

My only beef with the trailer to the movie is their use of a Jay-Z song for the trailer to the movie which is set in the 40s.SMDH

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

I’m not with this “Let’s use a popular song from today” to tell a story abt yesterday. It irks me & its stupid. Disrespect 2 the time period

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

1 of my favorite shows 2 listen 2 when I’m awake 2 catch it is DJ Gene’s “Doo-Wop” program from 6am-9am on Saturday mornings on WRFG 89.3 FM

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

DJ Gene not only plays the doowop & songs from the 40s, 50s, & some early 60s, but he’s old enough to provide perspective & commentary

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

So as a listener you feel like you’re living in that time period when u listen as he talks about the songs, dances, what was popular then…

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012

If u don’t live in Atlanta & want to check it out online u can listen to DJ Gene’s show via my free app from 6am-9am.itunes.apple.com/us/app/jayforc…

— Jay Force (@Jayforce_) September 22, 2012