https://i.imgur.com/wo3l0lF.png

Scarface (1983) was an award-winning film that had a huge cultural impact, was one of Al Pacino's most iconic roles, launched the careers of several of it's stars, and is considered one of the greatest gangster films of all time.

And yet, despite having ZERO African-American roles, it was revered by the African-American hip-hop community, with multiple rap stars paying tribute to it, and some even taking on names from the film.

Why the hip-hop community still worships 'Scarface' - The Grio

Scarface is loved by rappers with an unwavering devotion that can safely be called obsession. It’s so beloved that there is even a documentary about its impact on hip hop. In “Scarface: Origins of a Hip-Hop Classic,” several rappers like Diddy, Snoop Dogg, and Method Man talk about the great influence the movie had on their life.

Why the movie 'Scarface' became a hip-hop icon - The Philidelphia Inquirer

"Every man that walked out of that theater had just that look on his face like when they were a baby and looked at their mother's eyes. We were walking out like we were zombies," said Schoolly D, who has referenced the movie in his work and mimicked the famous black-and-white "Scarface" poster of Al Pacino for his 1996 compilation record, "Gangster's Story."

"We had to go back three or four times."

How is this possible, when Black characters are completely absent from a film about Cuban refugees?

The same reason why audiences loved WALL-E, despite not being robots; representation is a myth.

It's not the color of an actor's skin that decides wether you identify with them, are able to insert yourself into the film, or enjoy the story. It's the characters and their journey that does that. That's the writing, direction, and acting.

Black audiences were engrossed by Scarface for the same reason white audiences enjoyed watching Family Matters and The Cosby Show for decades. Predator 2 was a cult classic to sci fi fans not because of the lead star's skin color, but because he was not-yet-but-almost-too-old-for-this-shit.

Here is a 30-second cam video of Avengers: Endgame, filmed during a premiere screening for a Tamil audience in Sri Lanka. Watch what happens when Thor appears:

https://i.imgur.com/CpzMZa6.mp4 (0:30s)

Do you think the Tamil audience reacted that way because Thor brought representation on behalf of Tamil skin color and culture?