“Dope” rapper T.I. appeared on The View Monday morning and discussed his role in the upcoming Roots remake. The part-time actor plays “Cyrus,” a runaway slave in the film airing on four-consecutive nights starting Monday, May 30.
Though the unprecedented original Roots series finale remains the second most-watched finale in U.S. television history, the remake is already garnering backlash despite the fact that it hasn’t aired yet. As it turns out, people are tired of slave movies. But it’s not just a slave movie, T.I. told the ladies of The View. It’s African-American history that needs to be told again because there’s a disconnect between the older movie and the current generation.
“I think this story is the origin of African-Americans,” the rapper explained. “I think the first one, although it is the most watched television series of all-time, I don’t think this generation had an opportunity to experience it and take it in properly.” T.I. goes on to explain technology’s role in the disconnect. “Just due to the amount of technology now. You watch any movie from that era, if you’re of this generation, it’s just difficult to get into it because it looks so different.”
That’s a different explanation than John Amos’ theory. Amos played the adult Kunta Kinte in the film’s original and said the only reason why there’s a remake is because Hollywood is “creatively bankrupt.” Per Huffington Post:
The 76-year-old actor went on to add that The History Channel’s decision to remake the hit series is “further evidence, for the most part, that Hollywood is creatively bankrupt. They have to keep going back to what’s been done and what’s successful because they’re pretty much out of fresh ideas.”
Roots airs May 30.
