Did You Ever Know that You’re My Hero…
I have a role model.
He’s not your regular role model though. He happens to be, in my opinion, the most tormented black man in world history.
And no I’m not talking about Mike Tyson.
I’m talking about…
Marvin the Martian.
Yes.
Marvin the Martian…from Mars by way of Warner Brothers.
I’m so sincerrrrrrr.
Now why is he my role model? Marvin the Martian came into the game in 1948. Do you realize this cat is STILL trying to get a good look at Venus????? He spends his days creating the perfect means to get a good look at Venus, but then some freakin’ bunny with white gloves on comes along and blows his whole plan to smithereens, and gets him beat down in the process (Rodney King, anybody???). Every time he has perfected his Immodium 236 Space Modulator and is ready to finally conquer the world…he is stopped dead in his tracks (Kwame Jackson, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson). He is the model of perseverance. Cuz for the last 56 years…he has been trying…and he keeps trying…cuz he believes…believes that he is meant to see Venus…cuz Venus is what its all about people…
“…in a ferrari or jaguar switching four lanes/with the top down singing out money ain’t a thang”-Jermaine Dupri feat. Jay-Z, “Money Ain’t a Thang”
Marvin doesn’t care about money. He just wants to see Venus. And his attempts are always thwarted (LAPD, NYPD, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Oprah). By that damn wascawy wabbit…Bugs (Bush). It really bothers me that this damn hare-brained bunny (get it…thats one of them puns) BY HIMSELF can stop this one black man who has been in the game for years from making it to his goal in life. Still he keeps his eye on the prize.
This makes Bugs “the man.”
Who is the man, you ask??
The Man. def. (noun) individual who is colorless, faceless, and nameless whose only goal in life is to stop disadvantaged people from creepin’ on a come up
[sidenote: I happen to think that actual "man" is Starbucks. That's a whole other post though...its coming.]
And Marvin is black. Believe you me. For starters, he’s actually black. Then there’s the whole voyage to the promised land that all black people, especially older ones seem to be on. Then, and its the big one, the world won’t let him make it to his goal in life. The Earthlings would have him accept Earth as it is…Marvin wants to see Venus. Just like black folks, he’ll never be able to conquer the world. He just has to accept it as it is. You want to see what its like to live on the other side AKA Venus…not today bitch. Or not any other day.
You see, I’m not sure that Warner Brothers intended to create a satire for the black struggle with Marvin the Martian, but they did. He is every black man’s struggle. No matter how hard you work…a got damn bunny will come along and fuck up your plans to finally conquer the world. A lot of folks tell you to not take no for an answer…so Marvin hasn’t taken no. He keeps trying…b/c one day, he will get to see Venus. That’s all he wants…to see Venus…the world is in his way, and yet, he can’t stop won’t stop Roc-a-fella…er…sorry. And that’s how I try to live my life…no matter what, keep trying to make it…cuz take it from me, someday we’ll all be free and be able to see Venus.
And if not…one of these got damn days…we gonna be roasting us some rabbit…WATTS style. Though burning down our own neighborhoods still doesn’t quite sit well with me…but that’s another post as well (duly noted).
And that’s why Marvin the Martian is my hero. He’s the realest black man alive.
‘Pac would be proud.