Nearly two weeks ago the newest installment of The Color Purple renditions debuted in theaters nationwide while breaking opening day records. The Pulitzer Prize winning story by the incomparable Alice Walker has received raving reviews across the board by audiences all over. Seemingly, it has appeared that nearly everyone who went to view has had nothing but stellar experiences— or almost everyone. On January 2, 2024 Louisiana rapper Boosie Badazz took to the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) to share his thoughts and condemn what he referred to as pushing a “narrative”.
In fact, Badazz expressed that he along with his daughters exited the movie due to his strong dislike for the minorly intimate scene between the movie’s protagonist Celie and Shug Avery. For the record, both are women. In full, Boosie relayed, “I HAD TO WALK OUT THIS COLOR PURPLE MOVIE ( N TWO OTHER OLDER COUPLES WALKED OUT ALSO. )”
However, the infamously outspoken ‘Set It Off’ rapper has a notoriously extensive history with speaking out against the LGBTQIA+ community and other well-known members. Some of those incidents include his disparaging comments toward musician Lil Nas X in 2021 where he used slurs in reference to Lil Nas X along with the blatant encouragement to end his life.
Boosie has also openly spoken out against Dwayne Wade’s daughter Zya Wade, and her mostly public transgender journey toward openly being herself. Furthermore, after his tirade of negativity toward one specific part of The Color Purple’s story plot (which has always included queerness) he recently engaged in a cynical back and forth with public figure and transwoman TS Madison regarding his views on why he felt the need leave, but not before utilizing dismissive and derogatory language toward her.
I’ve outlined all of these events to not only recall and inform you of what’s occurred but to bring attention to a tumultuous pattern of his. Nevertheless, before divulging further into the deeper issue that is Boosie’s perspective and behavior, I find it necessary to review the history of queerness that has always been ingrained into The Color Purple’s existence.
The novel, original film adaptation, broadway musical, and latest installment all explore the queer experience of Celie and Shug Avery. Alice Walker (the FIRST Black woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize), the story’s originator, has never renounced the fact that the two characters were intimately involved in more ways than one. Her recent statement to The Hollywood Reporter aligns with that sentiment and provides clarity in her stance. Walker stated,
“I really love it that audiences have to take away the reality that Shug and Celie become lovers, because I think that we have really needed help there. We really needed to see that love is love. You know, that people love whoever they love, and it is their right to do that.”
Much like it is Boosie’s right as a parent to exclude his children from what he deems to be inappropriate. However, could the actual reason for his departure be more about his personal prejudice than his strive to theoretically prioritize their innocence? More importantly, I’d like to understand how he determines the line of inappropriateness, seeing as though it could be asserted that his concerns of protecting the innocence of his children are inconsistent and self-serving due to previous statements made toward how he chooses to interact with and raise them.
Back in 2020, he egregiously openly stated that he brought a ‘super grown woman’ to perform a sexual act on his adolescent son for his fourteenth birthday. Though he later recanted stating that he was ‘just clowning’ the mere mention that he would partake in an action so repulsive and unlawful was off putting for many.
Ultimately, through his public history of vilifying the LGBTQIA+ community and inconsistency of equitable protectiveness toward his children from varying sexual and sexually exploitative experiences, his unnecessary tirade only amplified his misogynistic and bigotry filled tendencies. Especially due to the fact that prior to the kissing scene between Celie and Shug Avery he witnessed far worse in comparison. For instance, the ill treatment toward Celie and other Black women in the film’s plot that included sexual assault, forced adoption, physical, mental, and verbal abuse. Yet same sex romance is where he chose to draw the line.
To expect that everyone will agree with each and every lifestyle outside of their own is unrealistic, of course. Yet at some point if we ever expect to be a somewhat amicable society the absence of tolerance and respect will hinder us at every corner.