‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X.’ I’ve used it to demonstrate racial attitudes to people who I thought needed a better understanding of all human beings. Malcolm was not a racist. He was not looking for revenge. He realized that kindness and goodness did not come from any one kind of person.
I would say one of my favorite books is ‘Blood Brothers,’ a documentary about Malcolm X.
People sometimes forget all the films that we’ve done. They remember the likes of ‘Malcolm X’ and ‘Do the Right Thing.’ But I’ve been working since 1986. From the beginning, I was determined to not just be a flash in the pan. I’ve got to keep up with Woody Allen. He’s lapping me.
The die is set and Malcolm will not escape for the foolish talk he spoke against his benefactor, such a man, is worthy of death, and it would have been so, were it not for Muhammad’s confidence that God would give him the victory over the enemies.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been asked to ‘be’ Malcolm Tucker: to go on a political program on television, presumably in order to be the character and give opinions as him.
Everyone wants me to be this political person… I’m not Malcolm X.
Doc has been my name all my life, and John is my middle name. I’m proud of all my names – Malcolm John Michael Creaux Rebennack. I’m proud of them names.
I think anybody who works with Malcolm, the first thing they go, ‘Holy cow! I’m working with Theo!’ because that was part of my childhood.
Even Angus says that Malcolm is a better guitarist than he is. He makes the drummer’s job so easy, he’s a metronome.
You watch ‘Malcolm X,’ and then Netflix recommends ‘B.A.P.S.,’ and you’re like, ‘What? Those movies have absolutely nothing to do with each other, but OK.’ They don’t recommend other historical biopics – it’s ‘B.A.P.S.’ and ‘Ghost Dad.’
My influences in this world have always been Crazy Horse and Malcolm X, my overall influences. But I was influenced by rock n’ roll, blues, and country music. I was influenced by singers.
Not that I regret saying what I believed to be the truth, but I regret anything that I might have written or spoken that could have been used in a way to help to foster that atmosphere out of which came the loss of life of Brother Malcolm.
It’s much easier to talk about racism when you’re able to use mutants as a metaphor. People would much rather talk about Charles Xavier and Magneto than they would about Martin Luther King or Malcolm X.
Pages: 1 2
