Adult Swim is known for its cutting edge programming, with surreal TV shows as well as forward-thinking animated shows. One of the animated shows in its roster right now is Black Dynamite, an adaptation of the comedy action film starring Michael Jai White. The season finale of Black Dynamite is set to feature appearances by some of hip-hop’s most well-known names. Erykah Badu, Tyler the Creator, and Chance the Rapper are set to appear in the show’s special musical episode that focuses on police brutality.
In the wake of Ferguson, police brutality has become a hot button issue and is more relevant than ever before. A trailer for the special episode focuses its satirical and critical eye on race relations in America filtered through a distorted Wizard of Oz-inspired lens. It’s potentially crass, but it’s also poignant and funny as hell.
Adult Swim to air a musical on police brutality featuring Erykah Badu http://t.co/1O975lGWtl pic.twitter.com/OXBsOyzR6A
— Jezebel (@Jezebel) December 22, 2014
In the story, Black Dynamite gets hit in the head with a brick and he hallucinates that he’s in a place called “Oz-Watts”, where he is called upon to defend the public from abusive police officers. Tyler the Creator will be playing as a talking poodle that serves as Black Dynamite’s guide, while comedian JB Smoove will be playing a police officer. Badu is reportedly cast as a parrot/muscular-woman hybrid. Black Dynamite will also encounter Oz-Watts’ version of the fairy godmother (James Brown, the fairy godfather of soul), as well as “The Wicked B***h of The West Side” (an overzealous police officer).
Erykah Badu has appeared in an earlier episode of Black Dynamite where she played dual roles as Bob Marley’s wife, Rita, as well as a prostitute. She also recently collaborate with Tyler the Creator for his album, Wolf, appearing on the track “Treehome95”. Early last year, she revealed that she’s working on a new record.