The Get Down is a Netflix Original show set in the 70s that focuses on a few young and broke teenagers growing up in the Bronx with nothing, but dreams and passion. The main character, Ezekiel, also nicknamed Zeke, meets Shaolin Fantastic and they begin their journey as DJ and wordsmith. They become a group of five known as, The Fantastic Four Plus One. Zeke might be a wordsmith, but his heart is torn into more than one place. He has a love for music,yet he also has a love for Mylene, an aspiring singer. He’s also attempting to keep up with his internship while battling other DJ groups in the neighborhood.
When we are first introduced to Shaolin, we learn that he is being trained by Grandmaster Flash, a known DJ in New York. Shaolin is given lessons by Flash and each lesson he’s given the crew must solve together. The Get Down has many lessons, one speaking to us the most. That lesson would be that it’s important to surround yourself with people who you vibe with and who are just as passionate as you are. You don’t have to have all of the same things in common but just enough is enough. When you have things in common you can create great things like Zeke, Shaolin and the crew.
What also fascinates us about The Get Down is that it doesn’t just focus on the main character. We get a glimpse at the other members of the crew, specifically Dizzee, who is into graffiti. He meets another graffiti artist who helps him explore his sexuality. That’s what we love about the show. It isn’t one sided and it has great range.
Yes, The Get Down came out last summer but what brings us to this topic is the trailer for the new season, dropping April 7th on Netflix. The trailer has us on our toes. Let’s go through what we’ve gathered so far:
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Zeke and Mylene are still together. Mylene’s girl group fame is growing and she has a bright future ahead of her but she still hasn’t accepted Zeke and Shaolin as the DJ aspirants they are. She doesn’t see the potential in their art form that she sees in her own.
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Zeke is still working for the aspiring mayor, Ed Koch, as an intern. He’s also an MC so his time is divided and split into many different directions. He seems to be struggling with his twisted family dynamic and his aspirations as a MC.
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Shaolin is still working for Fat Annie as a drug dealer and potentially a hit man of some sort. He’s in too deep but he’s doing it for the love of the music. Zeke wants him to quit but Shaolin doesn’t know if that’s a good idea.
- The crew is realizing that their dreams will always come with some sort of sacrifice. In the trailer Zeke says “If making something of myself means losing myself, then what am I making?” Well, Zeke, I guess we’ll find out on April 7th if it’s all worth it.
Check out the trailer and give us your take on it.