Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
We have a lot to cover today, class, so we’re going to speed through a few things to get to the two most important people of this season of “Raising Kanan,” Ronnie and Uncle Marvin.
Kanan has been annoying me so much lately. It’s bad enough that he kicked Famous out of his own apartment (I still need to understand how this is even possible), but now he’s being messy and threatening to cause drama in Jukebox’s aspiring singing group, Butta. Kanan was getting handsy with Iesha, aka Pukebox (sorry, that’s funny), at the movies, and she wasn’t having it. So instead of being the decent human being Kanan can be at times, he sends her on her way home, alone, on the train. Trifling. But instead of letting sleeping dogs lie, he doubles down on his triflingness and when the OTHER annoying and messy girl in the group, Crystal, calls him to smash, he rolls through. Listen, there’s a reason we never got to hear Butta’s breakthrough single from 1994, and his name is Kanan. Jade, Brownstone and SWV send their thanks.
Jukebox is over Kanan, by the way. And I LOVE the way she isn’t scared of him (or Ronnie) and punks him in front of Ronnie. It tracks with how much deference he paid to Jukebox in “Power,” ya know … before he kills her. If only Jukebox could see where her life ended up, which I think is a pun. I didn’t intend it. Let’s move on.
Det. Howard needs some kind of award for the amount of assistance he’s providing Raquel, who is trying to get back into the drug game so she needs his help. Sure he’s a dirty cop, but I mean he is always in the right place at the right time, and the fact that he manages to get in the way of Scrap’s mother spitting her shenanigans all over the police station? Chef’s kiss. I’m just saying, Howard needs a gift certificate to McDowell’s or something.
Lou-Lou. SMH. That’s all I have to say about him. Actually, that’s not true. Lou, Famous’ flow on that song that you all made is terrible — do it over. It’s giving “I Seen a Man Die” from Scarface’s “The Diary” album, which came out in 1994. I can’t tell exactly what year we’re in during “Raising Kanan,” but “The Diary” came out in October 1994 and that song is basically a carbon copy of it. It’s almost like Scarface recorded the song about Famous, who recorded the song about himself. Maybe Scarface heard Famous’s song on a tape somebody found and then went back to Houston and made his own. I’ll ask Mike Dean. (I won’t.)
Now to the two most compelling people this season. Let’s start with Ronnie. Ronnie, while potentially being the greatest roommate of all time because he doesn’t talk much, cleans up things and pays for things on time, is a person I CANNOT wait to see die. Like, I’m itching for it. He’s out here creep-stalking Pernessa, threatening people without threatening them … unless you’re Famous.
Listen, that scene with Famous was the best-worst scene of all time. For context, as Famous is packing up to leave HIS apartment with Kanan to return home, Ronnie questions why Famous’ mother would even want him to return home. Using the oddest collection of sentences and questions, Ronnie made ME uncomfortable. I had no idea how to answer any of those questions the right way. It was terrifying. I want to know everything about this scene. Was there a script? Did Ronnie and Famous get two different scripts and were told to just see what happens? I felt so bad for Famous in that scene because the pure insanity of it made me think that Ronnie was about to kill him right there. I also hated Kanan more for not stepping in. Sure he doesn’t mess with Kanan right now, but that’s still his boy. Kanan is annoying. Anywho, I hope Famous doesn’t die.
Quickly, Ronnie and Juliana? HOW? Ronnie seems like the most asexual human being ever. I just don’t even understand that attraction. Ronnie doesn’t seem to either; while Juliana was trying to seduce him, he sat in the same position the whole time kind of waiting for it to be over. Odd. Anywho, I’d like to see Ronnie dead soon.
Marvin. The way he’s growing as a person and how likable he is as a character now means they’re probably going to kill him, I’m going to be so mad. Uncle Marvin is helping Raq broker drug deals, cooking breakfast and making cookies for the white support group guy’s kids and promising to be there to help. He’s looking after Lou-Lou and handling business. He wants to be a better father for Jukebox. What more can we ask for out of a character? Marvin is moving into Omar territory for me, not in terms of his body count (though Marvin has bodies), but in terms of not being a character you’re supposed to like but you can’t help but care about because he’s becoming a fully dimensional, complex and ultimately human. It’s as if Marvin understands his role in society but has decided that while he’s here, he’s going to make it a bit better for those he can and …
I’m getting mad thinking about Marvin dying. I need a minute.
Southside.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest), but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said: “Unknown” (Blackest).
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