011: "Don't Nobody Give A Damn About You Or Your Story. You Got Money, You Get To Be Whatever You Say You Are..."
D'Angelo Barksdale is served with a reality a check at dinner with Donette
Friends,
You may recall from my About page that I intend for this newsletter to branch out from time to time and break down life lessons from mediums other than hip-hop too. Well, this is the first edition doing as such.
I hope that you will all find the same value (or more) in these type of newsletter posts like you do from the lyrics used in past and future articles.
But anyway, let’s get back to business…
The Wire is brilliant. The show is a masterpiece from start to finish. There isn’t much I can say that hasn’t been said about it’s influence and overall quality already. I first watched all of season 1 a number of years ago, before following up with randomly scattered episodes from the remaining seasons over the course of a 1-2 year period. I absolutely loved it at the time, but appreciated that it was a must to watch it all again in chronological order. I recently decided to do this, watching the series from start to finish, uninterrupted in it’s intended sequence. My motivation to do so was mainly out of curiosity and entertainment, but also to piece it all together through the lens of a now adult viewpoint.
Magnificent. Genius. Monumental. Even better than I remembered it. The Wire is a mirror to the reality of so many lives that the common person has no idea about and is a hugely important piece of television that I implore people to watch if they haven’t done so already. In fact, even if you have, watch it again, and again, and again every few years or so. The show is so spectacularly layered that it behoves you to absorb it retrospectively as the world continues to change whilst the same societal issues remain constant. HBO don’t miss.
I’d like to bring a scene from season 1, episode 5 to your collective attention. D’Angelo Barksdale and his new flame Donette go out for a high end dinner on a crisp Baltimore evening. Without giving too much away to those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing The Wire yet, the backdrop is as follows:
D’Angelo Barksdale, nephew to kingpin Avon Barksdale, has been acquitted of a murder charge
D’Angelo has been assigned to a low-level territory to carry out his hustling duties on behalf of his uncle’s network
Due to the environment D’Angelo finds himself working in and interacting with, he cuts a somewhat disenfranchised figure who is not at total ease with every day life
There are multiple instances and moments where D’Angelo demonstrates his intelligence and competence - he has untapped potential being wasted away in a life of crime
D’Angelo has multiple encounters with police officers, which leads his uncle Avon to warn him that there may be a snitch in his ranks, adding more fuel to the fire of his overall unrest toward the life he leads
The dinner scene:
In summary, D’Angelo appears to be experiencing some form of imposter syndrome. He becomes aware that he’s too good to be patrolling low rise dealings, experiencing one too many unpleasant encounters with societies’ forgotten. On the other hand, when he tries to place himself in more rewarding surroundings, he questions his own validity, which is only compounded when he doesn’t pick up the normal mannerisms in said domain. This is a primary reason why I feel those of you who have watched The Wire before, should absolutely watch it again, because these paradox’s are all too familiar in other avenues of life.
I am purposefully going to steer clear of going into this topic in detail, as I do not see myself as somebody with enough experience or knowledge of dealing with, seeing or addressing these type of feelings. What I do know is that, amongst my generation (millennials, people in their 20s/30s right now), this seems to be a very regular feeling and a barrier people wish to overcome in order to level up in some capacity; professionally, socially or personally. There are a lot of articles and literature available to use as an example, but this very quick summary by Forbes is a decent round up.
Of course, the finer details of D'Angelo Barksdale’s emotions are much more sensitive, but cinema, music and art act as a window into the real world. What I take away from this scene is that, much like many topics of conversation now, there are parallels between modern societies’ uncertainties around everyday life, regardless of the specificity of the factors people are dealing with. Human thoughts and concerns remain the same in all areas, as we can see with D’Angelo, who is experiencing very relatable problems such as:
What is my purpose?
Am I really happy?
Is the money worth it?
Am I truly free?
"Don't Nobody Give A Damn About You Or Your Story. You Got Money, You Get To Be Whatever You Say You Are..."
Whether Donette’s intention was to uplift him by shining a light on the positive aspects of his life (in this case, the financial rewards) or to dismiss his problems by referencing said financial wellbeing is for the viewer to decide. But we’ve seen this type of narrative and overall taboo around mental health, our relationship with money and misunderstanding of privileges play out all too often - think “shut up and dribble”.
In the social media age, having a following and the ability to influence magnifies this concept and disconnect more so, in my opinion. Whether by design or coincidence, if you’re able to manipulate the algorithms in your favour and “juke the stats” (see another The Wire reference below), you can literally be whoever you want to display yourself as, whether it fits into your comfort zone or not.
We joke about trader scams, random rises in cults of personality (especially of far-right and far-left political figures), self-proclaimed models, cryptocurrency opportunists and so forth, but with enough following and a community vouching for the specific content people put out, who’s to say they can’t be whatever they say they are? Clout is currency after all in the 21st century. You’re one rebrand away from being a politician, freedom fighter or financial expert with no questions asked. It’s no surprise that the feeling of identity has been lost, or at least put on the backburner for folks.
By now, we are all very aware of how technology has caused great joy and pain simultaneously. For every bit of knowledge we can grab, there’s a plethora of misinformation ready to intercept. For every loved one we connect with, there’s a chancer looking to play on those said emotions for their own personal gain. The mental health issues spawned from incessant, fabricated interactions are well known, and D’Angelo’s plight, although focused more around money, is almost a like for like situation. Material things, or labels, that can vanish in the blink of an eye at any given moment, are not the sole determinant of a healthy, rewarding lifestyle. It giveth and it taketh in equal measure.
So to round off, I’d like to revisit my second paragraph again, where I encourage you, the reader, to watch this show and any other grand piece of art or creative expression/outlet with your full attention repeatedly. I really meant it. Your attention is currently up for grabs at every corner you turn to, so ignore the cheap, quick plays and dedicate some time to consume thought-provoking, authentic content regardless of device or platform.
Do yourself justice, utilise your mind.
WhosAria
Both photos used in this piece are by Paul Schiraldi.