Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop Review
Rating: 
Broadcast Date: February 22, 2007
Website: Documentary Website
TV Station: VH-1
Donate: Bambai Bling Foundation
“Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop” Movie Review
I am heated as a motherfucker man. Back in December, Russell Simmons returned from his “fact-finding mission” to Africa and reported that everything with the diamond industry was up to par … that there were no more blood diamonds. He said that no abuses were taking place, that some 80 percent of profits were going back to Africans, and that the diamond trade was actually helping to empower and enrich the people.
And I believed him. I ain’t gonna lie, man … I like Russ, despite what all the haters say, and I believe he does a lot of good and socially conscious things for hip-hop and for the community [1].
However, last night I caught the premiere of the VH-1 Roc Docs’ documentary entitled “Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop” and realized that I had been, for lack of better term, bling’d. Throughout the entire remarkable, shocking and outright tear-jerking 90 minute documentary, all I could think was, “WHAT THE FUCK?”
In late 2006, hip-hop notables Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan, Paul Wall of disco ball grill fame, and reggaeton superstar Tego Calderon traveled to Sierra Leone with guide Ishmael Beah, author of the newly-released “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier,” to investigate the state of the nation and it’s diamond trade. And that state is literally heartbreaking.
Upon visiting Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone which was ironically named that by freed slaves who had been retuned to Africa from the Americas, it became obvious that no large percentage of diamond trade profits were given back to the people. The houses were shacks, the roads dirt, the people barely clothed, and there was almost no electricity, food or clean water anywhere.
The group went from shocking situation to shocking situation, visiting a diamond mine where people worked for no pay, just food, and received only two dollars per diamond found, which according to the narrator happened about every six months or so per employee. They then went to a camp for amputees, filled with men, women and even children who had limbs cut off mercilessly during the country’s ten year civil war. It was here that my man Raekwon almost broke down for real.
The only high point for me was when Raekwon was given the ability to confront the owner of one of the diamond mines, aggressively inquiring as to why their medical facilities were so meager, the residents so poor, and yet the company so profitable. Later, Tego Calderon summed it up by saying that the diamond people don’t care about anything except their own pocketbooks. However, this moment of feel-good realization was quickly squashed when the crew visited Freetown’s poorest district and a man literally broke down in sadness, frustration and anger as Paul Wall could only watch and listen.
Now I realize that Russell Simmons visited the areas of South Africa and Botswana, which are obviously far removed from Sierra Leone, but I would think that any “fact-finding mission” would have included a trip to the country that exports an estimated 60% of our country’s diamonds. In addition, his statements were made to offset questions raised by the movie “Blood Diamond,” which took place in Sierra Leone. So why would he have visited only South African and Botswana? To me, this proves that Russ’ trip was simply a façade intended to make us think everything was okay, and that pisses me off dogg.
So big ups to VH-1 and its Roc Docs crew for their important investigative work in “Bling’d: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip-Hop.” Big ups to Paul Wall, Raekwon and Tego Calderon for representing hip-hop in their long journey to Africa. And big ups to Ishmael Beah, not only for leading the mission, but also for having the courage to relive his horrible experiences in order to share them with the world, hopefully to bring knowledge, understanding and change.
Please visit the documentary website to learn more about the visit to Sierra Leone and to find broadcast times in your area. And please visit the Bambai Bling Foundation to see how you can help. Peace.
Ben Washington wrote:
bluddy Bling, yea yea. So what is actually going to be done about it…? Exactly, no one can even really imagine a way to change what is, this is just another example of “us” learning what we’ve done after we’ve already done it. Did we really need to learn about the amount of blood shed overseas….? I’ve seen bloodshed in America over the same thing. Giving that much respect, money, importance or whatever to any stone is dumb even if the workers were being paid well. If it takes a movie and some celeb trips to the motherland to see that what we do on the daily is redundantly retarded than we have no hope.
Bless
Bless
Posted on 23-Feb-07 at 8:51 pm | Permalink
Bakari wrote:
Just caught the documentary last night, and you summed up my feelings exactly. It was definitley touching. To see a member of the mighty Wu-Tang almost break down and have to admit that compared to Freetown our “hoods” are very comfortable was something.
But the film brings up many questions. As you pointed out, was Russel Simmons a willing pawn when he took his trip to Africa, or was he really just that ignorant to the realities of the issue he was talking about? Did he even take the time to research the issue before he decided he would be a mouthpiece for the diamond industry? Or did he just take the money and run?
The film also makes me wonder how it is possible that so many diamonds can be found in a country and no one knows how to cut or polish them. If someone is going to start a foundation, it would seem to me that this would be the place to start. Open a trade school teaching these people how to process diamonds, so they can get the value added profits. I just find it hard to believe that this is coincidence. Reminds you of slavery in the Americas when the slavemaster didnt want the slaves to learn how to read. Now, they dont want them to learn how to cut and polish stones.
My other question is this Bombai Bling Foundation. Where is the info on this thing? I need details. How exactly is this foundation going to help the situation.
But I give credit to VH1, with all of the questionable (yet entertaining) shows they put on the air, I am very happy that they shared this with the world.
P.S. Why wasn’t this on BET?
Peace
Posted on 13-Mar-07 at 12:30 pm | Permalink
Kenyah Nefertiti Mary Vickers and Jonathan Jerome Franklin-Askew wrote:
My daughter and son was murdered in New York and Georgia through abuse of power by hospital doctors and surgeons. My heart is broken and cry out to the creator for justice. I have no support because of lack of money and support.
Posted on 01-Apr-07 at 2:04 pm | Permalink
Kenyah Nefertiti Mary Vickers and Jonathan Jerome Franklin-Askew,s mother wrote:
Jonathan was 19 years of age when his life was taken against mother’s consent and will by Macon Medical Center. He planned to design computer games to teach the young youth prossional education like doctors, accounts, judges, scientist, etc. Wrote raps and made music. He loved everyone and trusted too much! His friends and family cried through Florida, New York, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, Asia, Jamica, Africa, South and North America who knew and felt his love no longer available but in memories of the lessons he taught. As a young man growing with his mother he was an all star. He played on Lacrose teams, basketball team, football teams, Hockey, and a all white boy scotts in Ossining voted him to be their boy scott leader. He was over protective of everyone including himself and developed the name silent ninja due to the fact he often came off his silent peaceful mediator side to speak fearlessly the truth of what is right. Remember we all are sister’s and brother’s and have been advised to love even our enemies for a purpose. Faith without works is dead. We all reape what we soe. I know Jonathan is only sleeping and soon to awake to be a witness to the truth again. It is how free will is, that truly decides the choose to care or not, love or hate, and live or die.
In memory of you Jonathan,
your mom
Posted on 01-Apr-07 at 3:49 pm | Permalink
Kristin Gouge wrote:
hey this is kristin from north carolina and we had to watch the video because our chorus teacher recorded it and we did an worksheet on it. i had no idea that that was even happening over there. The video had empacted us alot exspecially me. What i got from the video is that I have so much and i complain about what i do get and they barley get anything over there and they work all day to try and get food and money for there families and some days all they get is food or two dollars. i also realized that i felt guilty about how i complain because i get stuff but maybe i dont like it sometimes they dont even have the chance to complain about nothing because they dont recieve nothing but food…I think the video was to bring attetion the what has happened in the past and is still happening all around the world in many different countries….Well peace out -Kristin Gouge 15, NC
Posted on 10-May-07 at 5:19 pm | Permalink
bob wrote:
Help! I need a copy of this video for a class I am teaching! VH1 says they do not have one available for sale, etc. I am willing to pay for a quality copy. Please e-mail me if you have one or know some where I can get one from. smith2bs@aol.com
Thank you
Posted on 25-Dec-07 at 10:53 am | Permalink
Mattydigs wrote:
Was anyone taken aback at the ignorance/stupidity of Paul Wall and crew?
Openly brandishing their grills and chains to the destitute workers?
Then that idiot Paul Wall goes and thanks them for their sacrifice so he can wear his bling. A slap in the face. They must have had a lot of security because they were downright morons to go sporting their bling around like that. Would have been killed in a hot minute. Disrespectful, ignorant, pieces of sh*t.
Posted on 23-Oct-09 at 9:25 pm | Permalink