Everything That's Happened in the World Since Season 3 of "The Boondocks"

The world hasn’t been the same since the last time we saw Huey, Riley, and Granddad in the suburb of Woodcrest in 2010. In three short years, we saw the first black president elected for a second term, The Worm became an ambassador of world peace, and a wholesome Disney pop star elevated—degraded—the term ‘crossover appeal’ to levels no one could have seen coming.

Safe to say, the times have changed outside Robert Freeman’s peaceful neighborhood, enough so that Huey would think we’re doomed for catastrophe, while Riley ‘Escobar’ couldn’t be more excited. For us out here in the real world, we have no choice but to adapt, so let’s look at Everything That’s Happened in the World Since Season 3 of The Boondocks.

Massive Domestic Spying Scandal

Journalists Glenn Greenwald and Edward Snowden’s unveiling of the government’s NSA program revealed massive records of domestic spying. We were pissed about such civil rights violations and still more worried that our download of Iron Man 3 wouldn’t be done by the time our popcorn finished popping.

Tyler Perry Released 10 More Movies

Black folks’ unofficial film ambassador (who I certainly didn’t elect) has in three short years assaulted us—and by us I mean black people—with 10 more ‘movies.’ He’s making a killing, but humiliatingly stereotypical, thin, brainless characterizations aside—he remains a tone-deaf filmmaker. Let’s end on a Madea quote from Perry’s most recent ‘film,’ Madea Family Christmas, where she quips she needs to take “5mg of don’t choke that ho.” Progress.

Weed Became Legal in Two States

Colorado and Washington kept the movement going forward by both legalizing recreational use of marijuana; onwards to the inevitable weed A&C opening up in a neighborhood near you. Weed becoming a Wall Street commodity on the stock market is also an inevitability. The shriveling tie-dye shirt will finally die for good.

Openly Gay Professional Players

Sports and society as a whole experienced some positive moves forward when Jason Collins became the first openly gay NBA player in the modern era and Michael Sam coming out ahead of the NFL draft, an incredibly brave decision. If we could just ban flopping from the NBA (leave that Shakespearean craft to soccer) we’d have make even more strides.

Several Icons Passed Away

Nelson Mandela. Whitney Houston. Gil-Scott Heron. Lou Reed. Bobby Bland. James Gandolfini. Roger Ebert. Patrice O’Neal. And many more, these are the prominent icons that immediately came to mind (I don’t mean to intentionally leave anyone off). Since we’ve last been in Woodcrest, these past three years have seen us lose several great leaders and artists that made huge impacts on our lives.

Anti-Icon Soulja Boy Still Ignorant of Irony

When the picture of Soulja Boy grinning ear to ear flashing a Riley Freeman chain hit the net a couple years a go, a cold chill tracked down my spine like rare other moments of my life. Here was a rapper proudly flaunting a diamond-studded chain of a character lampooning the very culture of impulsive, ignorant rapper behavior like the one pictured. An image so powerful in its oblivious self-mockery, it’s almost frightening.

"Stand Your Ground" Law

There is not much to add to the horrific tragedy of Trayvon Martin and other cases of white men shooting innocent black men that haven’t been written already. The societal tremors still exist, and somehow the Stand Your Ground nonsense is real—in the 21st century.

Dennis Rodman Becomes an Unsanctioned Foreign Diplomat

The Worm that was famous for banging in the paint for those Detroit and Chicago championship years, and infamous for raiding Las Vegas lost-and-found bins, finally got the dreaded answer from his tattoo artists that there was nothing left to pierce and decided he’ll pick up a hobby befriending a North Korean dictator. It’s so insane; we’re still waiting for the Men in Black neuralyzer to wipe out this entire absurd episode.

Steve McQueen Wins Oscar for Best Picture

We witnessed Steve McQueen become the first black filmmaker to win an Oscar for Best Picture in the Academy’s history for his film, 12 Years a Slave, also a truly significant moment in black history. Now, if only Spike Lee would get back to directing again…

The Grammys Bombed (Again)

In fairness, we never once were fooled into thinking that the Grammys ever knew what they were doing, but we felt this year there was no way they could not get this right Kendrick Lamar the deserved owner of the best record hip-hop record on the planet—wrong. Macklemore took it home. Everyone set your watch to disappointment for next year that way you’ll know it’s coming. Again.

Barack Obama Re-Elected President

The United States’ first black president won a second term; an event even Huey Freeman would be slightly surprised about, or not, on second thought. With Obamacare and foreign relations remaining contentious issues, the month long celebration was cut short this time around.

The Real Housewives of… Became an International Phenomenon

At some point, rich women drenched in diamonds gossiping to each other about recent luxury shoe purchases over brunch or fighting about whatever problems sipping champagne round the clock can bring about, became a national phenomenon, because these are strong female figures television needs, then an international catastrophe.

Hollywood Released 21 Superhero Movies and Sequels

Yeah, that is a real figure, not counting another five slated to hit theaters this summer. Heck, Hollywood sold us the same Spiderman movie in less than a decade and Wolverine origin story twice in less than four years. Studio executives are basically playing peek-a-boo with superhero franchises, and folks just giggle, forget they have just seen the gotdamn movie six months ago and hand over another $20. Prediction: Spiderman Reboot 2020.

Game of Thrones Made Everyone Fantasy Fans

Including everyone else. A few years ago, books covered with dragons, castles with elaborate font titles were addictive to a minority—a rather sizeable minority—not that there was anything wrong with that, but most of us ‘cool’ folks still didn’t go that far down the dark aisle of the bookstore. Then HBO came set free all of our inner fantasy-freaks (the gratuitous sex and cool-looking violence didn’t hurt) that we didn’t know we had. Who knew?

LeBron James Left Cleveland

For decades, people have irrationally tied their hopes, dreams, emotional vulnerability, and psychological health in the hands of young rich dudes who ball for living and logically got their hearts broken again, this time when LeBron took his Bermuda shorts game to Miami in the middle of his prime. Cleveland therapists saw a three hundred percent jump in business, so, uh, silver linings.

2 Chainz Became an International Rap Star

Because we as a people stepped up and admitted we let tons of silly shit pass, but allowing a rapper literally named after a woman’s breasts to get famous will, nay, shall not be one of those things we will whistle and let slide unseen. Inspired by our unmoving stance, Tauheed Epps changed his named after two necklaces and we said, “Eh, fine, that works.” Now he’s touring the world and balling out—even if the feds watch. (Shout out to the NSA!)

The Miley Cyrus Revolution (Spectacle)

Sometime in the past couple years, Miley Cyrus decided to ditch Hannah Montana and rock gold grills, twerk, snag smoky Instagram pictures with rappers, wore Michael Jordan’s jersey like a diaper, grind on R&B singers and atop Cadillacs, really anything that has a whiff of street cred—you know what, keep it, hey, get ‘turnt up.’ Go ahead Miley, twerk. Just do it over there—you’re blocking my reading light.