ErIK KILLMONGER IS NOT MALCOLM X

ERIK KILLMONGER IS NOT MALCOLM X

I had a chance to watch The Black Panther film with my lady (Sincere Ignorance) on February 16th kind of a post valentine's day treat for us. We had spoken about the pre-production process of the film on our YouTube live streams and short documentary pieces. One of the many things we were excited about was the array of representations of Blackness.  The anticipation grew for Sin and me with each update of the film's progress, we caught all if not most of the interviews with Ryan, Chad, Michael, Lupita, Danai and even father time Whitiker. So after watching the movie...we sat and waited for the traditional Marvel post-credits. I wasn't all that impressed by the post-credits I mean all we got to see was Buckey stumble on screen as the usual lost white boy being pampered by Africans. 

We sat in the theater as the people made their way to the exits. I held my thoughts about many of the characters in The Black Panther until Sin and I did our review live on Thought Crimez. Erik Killmonger stood out to me the most like he did for many other people who saw the film. Michael B. Jordan delivered a brilliant performance of a man who was fractured and emotionally crippled. I began surfing the internet and different blog sites to get an idea of what people felt about the film and specifically Micahel B. Jordan's Killmonger performance. Some people were extremely impressed by Kilmonger's character and while others...well let's just say they drank the Killmonger Kool-Aid a little too much. I began to see many comparisons of the Erik Killmonger character and Malcolm X. What the Ella Fitzgerald!? People really felt that crazy ass Kilmonger was Malcolm X? The notion of this crack head comparison is simply a product of constant false equalizing of Black historical figures and contemporary degenerates via social media and a gross misunderstanding of Malcolm X. 

Erik Killmonger is more of a Death Row 2pac than he was a Malcolm X. And the fact that many people feel that the sociopathic and suicidal traits of Erik Killmonger are comparable to the noble el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz is problematic. I feel that Erik Killmonger and a paranoid, emotionally disruptive Death Row 2pac had a lot more in common than a Malcolm X. Malcolm X was focused and in complete control of his emotions in the face of adversity as he stood against Elijah Muhammad The Nation Of Islam. Malcolm X loved Betty Shabazz and not only would he die for her, he did. Malcolm X died for his children. Malcolm X died for Black people. Malcolm X was not selfish or a coward. Erik Killmonger kills off the woman who was riding for him Xoliswa played by Sydell Noel. Can you imagine Malcolm X disposing of Betty Shabazz to get to his end goal?     

As much as I love The Black Panther film and Micheal B. Jordan's performance as Erik Killmonger never for a moment would I compare his character to Malcolm X. Erik Killmonger may have felt the emotional angst of dealing with racism as Black person specifically a Black male, so did Malcolm. The difference between the two was the routes taken. Malcolm became disciplined and focus. Erik Killmonger became disciplined in many forms of combat but his rage was uncontrollable. Erik Killmonger was what many Black males with little emotional discipline are, chaotic. As much as I love 2pac's music the last months of life was chaotic.

In fact for some of the same reasons 2pac is celebrated in death one can say the same for the celebration of Erik Killmonger. 2pac brought the war to a whole coast and he was unapologetically confrontational. Even if 2pac was wrong he did not give a fuck. The same can be said about Erik Killmonger. The same however cannot be said about Malcolm X. If Malcolm X found himself to be wrong he corrected himself. Malcolm X criticized Martin Luther King many times publicly but made amends with Martin Luther King privately. 
​
2pac spared no one much like Killmonger. While on Death Row records 2pac acquired new power and an indispensable amount of capital to start a war just like Killmonger when he took over Wakanda. All I am saying is...get off of the crack juice. We all enjoyed Erik Killmonger making trouble just like many people enjoyed 2pac causing trouble. Still, to this day 2pac's most celebrated song is Hit 'Em Up. 2pac did great things but he did a lot of terrible things as well due to his fractured psychology. Erik Killmonger hovered within the frequency of Makaveli the Don as well. Michael B. Jordan said in a recent interview that he listened to 2pac to get ready for his role as Erik Killmonger. I am right the crack heads are wrong. Stop disrespecting Malcolm X. 
 - P. Dot