What would you think if you were able to take a journey in the fusion of tomorrow and today within 90 minutes of entertainment? What if I were to tell you that you could also quantify principals with a difference from what is taught verses what is learned? What would you say if I told you to add a musical flavor reminiscent of the essence of true school hip hop and the beauty of the boom bap? Would that be an experience?
“The Brobot Johnson Experience” is all of that and so much Moore! As I watched and listened to the amazing combination of creative storytelling, social satire and organic boom bap I began to reflect on the impact of hip hop, the culture and how it still continues to expand and influence thought. The more I listened and engaged so did my willingness to take the journey of… “The Brobot Johnson Experience.”
Produced in association with All for One Theater; Darian Dauchan’s one man show written and performed by him exposed his hip hop roots with every song he wrote and then performed on stage from scratch. His voice is the drums, lead line, melody and track accents. As you watch him create and perform the lyrics after the base track was created it reminded me of the days when hip hop had a human beatbox and the MC rhymed over the beat. The same happens as Darian’s character recites his history of being a Brobot using familiar hip hop groups and phrasing that made his dialogue even more amusing. Here is an example:
One hundred years from now… A race of Hip Hop androids known as Brobots… From the
planet Nubian will form a unit known as… The Tribe Called Space Quest… The Brobot
Intergalactic Outreach Program… through song and story… spread their message of
peace, love & dopeness… throughout the entire universe… BUT… there is one planet
they are forbidden to go… EARTH … Until now… 2018… in Bushwick, Brooklyn….
Within the next five minutes, our Brobot android got us engaged within his journey here on Earth and made us compelled to help him elevate his ship’s B Funk Meter…because you all know the rule… it’s got to be funky!
This wonderful truly artistic piece created by an award winning performer transforms him into Flobot Owens the first Brobot traveling on the first time machine made on planet Nubian called the L.L. Cool J. His expedition educates you on the 13 Codes of Brobot which are the principals of their civilization. These codes are based on the real life Andinkra Symbols, all of which are incorporated within the story and set of The Brobot Johnson Experience. (For more information on those principles go to andinkra.org)
Their press release described this experience best and explains why its a must see before it closes on March 17th. They wrote:
“The recently coined “Afrofuturism” genre is referred to by The New York Times
‘…a political and cultural genre that project black space voyagers, warriors and
their heroic like in a fantasy landscape, one that has long been the province of
their mostly white counterparts.’ At its core, Afrofuturism is about reimagining
what the African American experience was and what it could be. The show designed
to inspire both contemporaries and young people of color to tell outside-of-the-
box stories like, Brobot.”
As Flobot Owens teaches us each principle he compares it to our human experience making you understand or contemplate if our difference is changed by a simple decision? I give the The Brobot Johnson Experience a rating of ….mmm… Mental, Musical and Memorable, so sit back, relax and for less than the price of a cocktail enjoy traveling in time. For ticket information go to: https://www.thebushwickstarr.org/the-brobot-johnson-experience/ PEACE!
