How Much for an Order of Ribs?

I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is a hilarious parody of the blaxploitation era. This was the first project starring the Wayans family before really taking off with In Living Color. Keenen Ivory Wayans gained recognition by writing and producing Hollywood Shuffle and Eddie Murphy Raw. Wayans writes, directs, and stars in a comedy that mocks the black films of his youth. Although it helps that I’ve seen more blaxploitation flicks, it was actually my brother who brought it to my attention years ago. I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is R rated like most blaxploitation flicks, but every aspect of the subgenre is spoofed. They make fun of theme music, bad martial arts stand-ins, random sexual encounters, endless weapons, flamboyant pimps, and gentrified “Black Power” organizations. The movie takes place in Any Ghetto U.S.A. with Wayans as returning soldier Jack Spade.

Drugs are replaced with gold chains that Jack’s brother OG’s on. The villain is the literal drug lord archetype Mr. Big played by respected actor John Vernon. The Jefferson’s singer Ja’Net DuBois does most of the fighting as Jack’s mother. Along with Kadeem Hardison, Damon Wayans is the second most important Wayans who plays one of the two bumbling henchman. The rest of the Wayans family can mostly be seen in bit parts. I’m Gonna Git You Sucka goes the extra mile by featuring several black actors from blaxploitation films. There’s Bernie Casey as Shaft-esque local hero John Slade, Antonio Fargas as the aforementioned Dolemite inspired pimp Flyguy, Isaac Hayes, and Jim Brown as rib joint owners Hammer & Slammer.

They’re joined by Steve James as over-the-top martial artist Kung Fu Joe. The funniest scene is actually Chris Rock in an early cameo role as a cheap customer. David Alan Grier and Anne-Marie Johnson both cameo before becoming regulars on In Living Color. Further familiar black performers include John Witherspoon and Hawthorne James. This was also the film debut for comedian Robin Harris, voice actress Dawnn Lewis, and child star Ariana Richards. She appears in the People’s Revolutionary scene alongside 70’s TV icons Clarence Williams III and Eve Plumb. Needless to say, the cast makes the material even funnier. It led to a one-off pilot called Hammer, Slammer, & Slade that wasn’t picked up. I’m Gonna Git You Sucka is just as much a love letter as it is a satire of blaxploitation.

Jack Spade visits the People’s Revolutionary Army