Have you ever had a déjà vu moment? Maybe you’ve been watching the news and suddenly find yourself feeling as if you’ve lived this moment before. Or… you’ve seen this exact thing happen years ago on a television show. The Boondocks is notorious for having timeless stories, many of which are coming to fruition to this day. These are three times the Boondocks predicted real life.
1. “The Fried Chicken Flu”
The main plot of this episode is the town turning into zombie-like creatures as a side effect of eating the fried chicken special. Lines to obtain the meal stretched for miles, causing customers to wait literal hours before being able to place an order. Customers found themselves rioting once the restaurant ran out of chicken; attacking employees, property and each other. Sound familiar?
In August 2019, Popeyes announced the launch of their chicken sandwich. Once social media hype peaked, lines for the sandwich stretched far beyond the restraints of the restaurant’s parking lot. Fights broke out, people were trampled and some were even killed. Inevitably, Popeyes famed chicken sandwiches sold out. Viral videos showed employees being verbally and physically abused after telling customers that the sandwich was not available. Coincidence? You decide.
2. “I Dream of Siri”
This episode aired around the time Siri was first being introduced to the iPhone. The story revolves around Siri learning everything about Grandad and eventually using his information against him as an act of revenge. The iPhone eventually was able to control everything about his life, from his bank balance to his luck with women.
How does this apply to real life? Over time, the smartphone has become one of the most helpful/harmful products used in everyday life. Some children, as young as 12, have had their lives ruined by trends they took place in using their smartphone. On top of that, your phone has nearly all of your personal information. If the artificial intelligence somehow gains consciousness, would you be safe? That would be quite unlikely.
3. “The Trial of R. Kelly”
R. Kelly’s case is now notorious for the uproar it caused at the time and the trial’s entertainment factor. Disregarding the entertainment, the accusations against him were absolutely disgusting. These weren’t blind accusations either. Proof was produced to back up these claims and victims came forward with stories that matched what prosecutors were stating. All in all, things were not looking too good for R. Kelly.
The Boondocks episode “The Trial Of R. Kelly” introduced a reenactment of the trial with heavy satire throughout. On Kelly’s court date, crowds of fans surround the courthouse. They are armed with signs displaying various variations of the phrase “Free R. Kelly.”
What if I told you that now, in 2020, people have crowded downtown Chicago for a “Free R. Kelly” protest? Crazy, right? Yet that’s exactly what people are doing.
Regardless of how you feel about his music, detestable actions such as the ones he is incarcerated for, are not light enough to get away with just a slap on the wrist.
-Sojourner Freeman
