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Within the first 15 minutes of watching the Netflix documentary The Black Godfather<\/i> I felt some kinda way about the titular man, Clarence Avant.\u00a0 I was trying to be open, suspend judgment, and really listen and learn about his life and legacy, but it proved to be a more difficult task for me than I expected.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t help but think – this feels like some real male privilege.\u00a0 A woman would never have been allowed to do this, to be this. <\/i>I felt justified and validated upon hearing Mr. Avant declare, \u201cLife is all about numbers.\u201d\u00a0 – There goes that internalized capitalism bs<\/i>. –\u00a0 Mr. Avant repeated this mantra throughout the course of the documentary.\u00a0 However, after listening to interviews from some of the people whose lives he touched and whose careers he\u2019s propelled over the decades, my perspective shifted.\u00a0 I now understood his mantra along with some of his other declarations are a performance of black masculinity and not necessarily indicative of the man himself. Clarence Avant is a true man<\/i> of his time and under that rougher, shit-talking exterior is a man who loves helping his people achieve things they never thought possible.\u00a0 He wants black people to have equity, to understand their own value and demand that the industry did too, specifically in the form of cash. Yes, Clarence Avant might cuss you out, but underneath his direct (and at times harsh words) is a guy who truly cares.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Here are some things I learned about the living icon, Mr. Clarence Avant.<\/strong><\/p>\n There are several scenes that feature Mr. Avant and Uncle Q being interviewed together and the deep bond between them is undeniable.\u00a0 Hearing them laugh, joke, and call each other\u2019s bluff is a heartwarming glimpse into black brotherhood.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mr. Avant understood the role of music artists in reaching the hearts of the people.\u00a0 As such, he was able to bring together all his friends to perform at concerts for political candidates.\u00a0 He used this tactic for several campaigns including that of Bill Clinton and even Barack Obama; interestingly enough, he did not believe that Obama could win, but supported him nonetheless. To not have one <\/i>but two<\/i> former presidents sit down sit down and be interviewed for your documentary is a huge statement about the reach and character of a man. He had Obama smiling from cheek to cheek and Bill Clinton fighting back tears.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When Mr. Avant as 13-years-old he put rat poison in his abusive stepfather\u2019s food.\u00a0 His stepfather was warned prior to taking a fatal bite and Avant was sent to live with an aunt in Summit for his protection.\u00a0 Eventually, Avant began working as a nightclub promoter at Teddy P\u2019s lounge in Newark. This was the gig that started his ascent in the entertainment industry.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From Hank Aaron to P. Diddy to Jim Brown, it seems that everyone in Black Hollywood not only has a story about how Mr. Avant either got them out of a serious bind or helped their careers skyrocket.\u00a0 Interestingly enough, despite his mantra that \u201clife is about numbers\u201d none of them ever received a bill for Mr. Avant\u2019s services.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nHe is really good friends with Quincy Jones.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
He understood the power of music and mobilized his network to support politicians he believed in.\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
He is from Climax, North Carolina but moved to New Jersey as a teen.\u00a0 <\/b><\/h2>\n
Everybody has a Clarence Avant story.\u00a0 <\/b><\/h2>\n