DO' DIRECTIO
leaves the viewer with the
feeling of watching a movie
instead of being involved in
the film. He, in fact, oversim­
plifies the storyline, making
the duo's adventu almost
comical.
There IS one scene in which
Percy and Thunder are
scheduled for a match in a
small western town. When
they arrive, everyone speaks
Spanish except them.
"I know there's got to be
some negroes here," Banks
says.
Just then, a Black man
clad in western gear ap­
proaches a group of Mexi­
cans.
"There's one now," Thun­
der says, still carrying his bag
on his shoulder.
By TUREKA TURK
Michigan Cltlan
art.
THE STORY OF Blac
boxer climbing up the ladder
to rin of all ringe, th Mid­
dleweight Boxing Champion­
ship. W yne "Thunder"
Carter tries to do this without
selling his soul to the under­
world politics of the mafia­
like industry of boxing with
th help of a old, former con­
tender who could have had it
all, Pe cy Banks (James Earl
Jones). .
Banks is a bitter old man
Perhaps I have been
spoiled by Blac film, being
eaned on such cl ics as
"Nothing But A Man",
"Daughters of the Dust", "To
Sleep With Anger", ''Mo' Bet­
ter Blues," and "Deep Cover"
to name a few.
Or maybe it's the fact tha
some Black directors, produc­
ers and writers are more in­
terested in the money film
generates instead of the art of
film itself.
"The ttlmis jam
packed with credible
Black actors ... but it
leaves much to be
desired for the sake of
nt In n
It's also very ironic that
Ivan Dixon, star of "Nothing
But A Man" turned Holly­
wood director, has not carried
on the torch of "Nothing But
A Man" in his latest project,
"Percy and Thunder. "
The film is jam packed
with credible Black actors in­
cluding James Earl Jones,
Courtney B. Vance, and Dick
Anthony Williams but it
leaves much to be desired for
the sake of entertainment or
wi th a heart of gold deter­
mined to manage the tal­
ented young Thunder into
the success he once had the
chance had he not stood up to
the "weasels" of the boxing
industry.
- Along their journey, the
duo encounters the worst
"weasel" of them all, Ralph
Tate (Billy Dee Williams), a
Black promoter who believes
he owns the entire Middle­
weight class and will do any-
thing for money, even use his
color 88 a means of getting
what he wants, which hap­
pens to be Thunder.
Of course there is a love
interest involved here and
her name happens to
Suzanne Jefferson (Gloria
Reuben), a young attorney
who counsels the duo for free
to avoid contract trouble.
"I love my brothers," she
says. "But since they believe
th at for everyone good
brother there are 10 Black
women, they treat you like a
groupie."
basically seen this ending.
Yet, unlike Rocky Balboa,
Wayne 'Thunder" Carter, no
matter how many times he
proclaims that he can "think
for himself', never actually
becomes his own man.
Thunder goes from his
mother's house to Percy
Banks' hands, to Ralph Tate's
clutches to the arms of
Suzanne Jefferson with no
break in between.
"I . DON'T AGREE",
Thunder answers over din­
ner. "I believe there are good
brothers."
"I know, I'm looking at one
of them," she replies seduc­
tively.
I don't need to go any fur­
ther on the storyline because
if you've seen Rocky, you've
way to producing tracks.
"It took about three or four years for me to get
advanced, I still haven't perfected my skill, but it has
improved heavily," Dez said.
His style is completely unique although he, like
/
some producers and beat masters, a lot of 0
"I got into Coltrane about twoy 1'8 ago through
ex-girlfriend. She put in � Love Supreme' and it .
all that! My favorite is 'Giant Steps'. I � Colt
vibe. I also like a lot of Donald Byrd, " )'8.
Currently, Des i in a group called Da'Enna Cirkl ,
By TUREKA TURK
Mlch' an Citizen
- DETROIT - Be on the look out for him. He's the
brother with the mad afro with his head out the
window yelling, "Barnie must die!"
His name is Dez and he's an 18-year-old beat master
currently laying down tracks for various Detroit art-
ists. .
His style is unique in that you're liable to hear
everything from Coltrane to Planet Rock.
"I like it when people can recognize stuff (in what I
do). It's cool, you know?" he says.
DEZ IS DEFINITELY a unique brother in the city
of Detroit. Not latching on to fads, he considers him­
self neutral in the East vs. West roast sound. .
"But a lot of people consider me straight up 'East
coa§'t'. I don't think so because I can do both. West
coast isn't hard at all," he says.
Wait a minute, for tho unable to decipher the
difference between the two sounds, Dez has got a
clarification for you. .
"East coast artists focus on style, they have a little
more complex skills. They use metapho and just
traigbt up get busy," he laughs. "West coast is more
laid back, lazy. Their lyrics tell a story and isn't
necessarily a gangster. W. t coast artists �n't
pressed with how nice the lyrics are, they aren t into
skill."
Dez should know. He's been to both meccas of the
rap world, California and ew Yor "He � ba
in 1'987 "rhyming on treet corners. Dejaymg soon
followed and Dez found himself in Detroit doing both.
HE LEFT DETROIT a couple of years later and
started making mall time beats "on a little sampler".
.Dez moved back to Detroit a y r later and was on his
OF COURSE, their "ne­
gro" begins to speak fluent
Spanish to the group before
'him.
"How about that?" Ban
exclaim . " :v n h negroes
peak Spanish!"
Is it possible to have one
strong Black male figure in
this film? Unfortunately, he
never reared his face on the
screen.
DEZ
which consists .·of himself, P. Groove, Sleepy D. and
their.dancer, Boog WOog. .
. DA 'ENNA CIRKLE are both East and West coast,
Dez said matter-of-factly, and they don't curse.
Why?
"Itdon't always have to be like that. We're looking
for radioplay without selling. But we've managed to
keep our underground appeal." .
Dez is also a deejay at Club 246 on Phat Tuesday.
"The vibe is very nice because anything that is
. hip-hop is phat," he replies.
Dez also wor at By-Rite Records, all while still a
student at Mumford High School.
I asked Dez which he prefers, laying tracks, produc­
ing and rapping.
" COULD PRODUCE and mix for the rest of my
life. I'm finally getting pro as far as rhym and
. I don't want people to say, 'He can rap for a
p or 'He can lay �racks fo� l!. rapper' '. I just
living well doing all of It, he exclauns.
:. much props for his beats. I as shocked
n h little bit of Anita B er .: He laughed
u t t. .
• j t did that because I wondered how it would
nd. I nted people to be like, 'Damn!"
Thi man look-alik listens to all of the oldi
th m henever he d days.
m old stuff like Mary Jan Girls, Patrice
. cha I Jackson's fOffTIu! Wall'. It's old and
till bl . People like all that shit. Once I mixed
h, Wind nd Fire' 'Reasons' with Planet Rock'.
I didn't know hether to get freaky or start
S«:lftlI�,\810 dancing for the old-timers)," he ys
AWott,Art Iy.
,..-.
r..- ,
"He (Dixon)
oversimplifies
the storyline,
making the
duo's adventure
almost comical. "
5 e DEZ, 82
Dixon never quite tapped
into the potential of the cast
that he had on his hands.
Billy Dee Williams gives an
atrocious performance when
he confronts Percy and Thun­
der.
"Do you know who I am?
You are ruined!" he growls.
Billy Dee Williams remains
on the surface of his charac-:
ter and never convinces the
viewer of the evil of Ralph
Tate.
OW COULD I LEAVE
out the sm 11 circus of former
Blaxploitation stars? Anto­
nio Fargas, Huggy Bear of
"Star.sky and Hutch", is the
most memorable with Fats
Williams and James Tillis
(the little midget) trailing be­
hind ..
Th team of Billy Dee Wil­
liams and Jam Earl Jones
hasn't changed much since
"Bingo Long and Traveling
All Stars", still a modern-day
Stephen Fetchit team.
All in all, the life of a boxer,
although done many times.
before, had, and still has, the
potential for a good story.
But in the hands of I van
Dixon, "Percy and Thunder"
falls to the ranks of earlier
1980s made-far-television
movi with no sign of ad­
vancement in the industry it-
If.
"Percy and Thunder" pre-
mier ptember 7 at 8 p.m,
on TNT.