This year marks the 20th anniversary of the iconic movie Bring It On. The first one was so good that they made five spin-off movies. However, those will never compare to the original rivalry between the Rancho Carne Toros and the East Compton Clovers. Brandi Williams and Shamari DeVoe, the members of the late-90s singing group Blaque, joined Bold Life to discuss the 20th anniversary and reflect on moments they shared on set.
Blaque’s Bring it On experience
When asked about any fun experiences on set, Williams and DeVoe laughed. “Lots of crazy stuff,” Williams said. But the pair mentioned that their “deep” stories will be revealed in their upcoming book and documentary. They also reflected on having to balance touring and filming. Not only did they have performances on their days off, but they also had to attend a month-long cheer camp. The camp taught them all of the cheers and stunts needed for the movie. Blaque loved it so much, they taught their backup dancers what they learned.
Why the story is important
Bring It On touched on appropriation before it became a hot buzzword. Remember when it was revealed that the Toros were stealing cheers from the Clovers? Not only were they stealing cheers, but they were also winning competitions using those stolen cheers. Even though this is a fictional situation, it is extremely similar to the type of conversations we’re having about appropriation today. This film also touched on the lack of resources for schools in black neighborhoods. The Toros were able to steal the Clover’s cheers because the Clovers couldn’t afford the fees needed to compete. The Clovers rejected the handout from the Toros’ team captain and were able to find someone to cover the fees. In the end, the Clovers ended up winning the competition while the Toros became the runner-ups and all was right in the world.
When asked about Bring It On’s take on cultural appropriation, Brandi from Blaque did not realize how impactful these hidden themes would be in the future. “I know when we were younger and filming it, we weren’t even thinking about it that way. But 20 years later, it’s still very real and very, very relevant.”
