The new Kung Fu Kid Movie scheduled for release in June of 2010, will star box office sensation Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith and Asian Superstar Jackie Chan. The film offers an incredible trailer and the rebirth of true martial arts principles beyond the blood and violence that many martial sports offer today that are widely televised. The sad part is that some are upset that it is an African American kid playing the lead and the comments are shocking but yet we sit and watch people brutally beat one another down on TV in these mixed martial arts leagues etc.
These comments have sent fire waves through 7 time World Champion and Black Belt Magazine Hall of Famer and the father of a real Kung Fu Kid “Marshieh “BAM BAM” Johnson; a 3 year old Kung Fu Phonomenom. Such contraversary about our style/origin/creed is nothing new to me; this has been a struggle my entire life. For example in 1987 Karate Illustrated magazine said Johns was an opponent of tournament politics and another article in 2006 in Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine said he was crazy for saying and Kung Fu and Hip Hop was connected and let’s not forget the controversy surround his life story on A&E where martial artist said it had no business being included in the documentary.
This movie shows my son Marshieh “BAM BAM” Johnson (who is BAM Johnson’s third child to achieve martial arts success along with his World Champion brother Marco “Lil BAM” Johnson and his National Champion sister who is a 1st degree Black Belt – Nailah Johnson) that he can take his Kung Fu Legacy and conquer the world regardless of his race. This also shows all those who have made negative comments, that my methods of martial arts (Traditional with a Modern Approach) are not as crazy as they think.
This three year old power house Kung Fu Kid has been racking up wins since the age of 2 and has been training since birth – literally! His most recent win was at the 2009 International Chinese Martial Arts Championship in Washington DC; many on lookers were surprised and amazed that this little boy could even do moves let alone an entire routine and took 1st place. This in its self shows that traditional training methods are proven to be effective and that the modern aspect keeps his attention for such a young age.
Willie “THE BAM” Johnson and his family are the creators of the new Kung Fu Hip Hop Movement to empower generation next through traditional values with a modern approach. The entire family exemplifies the true facts about the African American Urban Influence in the Martial Arts in the 60’s and 70’s. History shows that without the urban community here in the U.S., martial arts would not have survived and become the popular suburban art it is today. However Johnson’s family Kung Fu Hip Hop Philanthropist efforts are changing the nay Sayers by offering empowering programs for the entire family, all geared toward developing better leaders through the next generation through their culture and track record. The Johnson’s family track record speaks for itself with three year old Marshieh winning and performing all over the world with his Kung Fu Hip Hop that has allowed him to learn how to function beyond anything the world has seen in his early childhood development. It has been a great investment in his future as he is preparing to enter school early and is as ready as a 5 year old; knowing much about respect – please and thank you, focus on the task at hand, his ABC saying and recognizing them, counting forwards and backwards and able to recognize them, his phone number, his DOB, and his people skills are amazing always greeting people with hello sir or ma’am and thank you sir and ma’am, among many other skills for such a young age.
The Johnson family has spent their entire life developing a program based on helping teens, tweens and kids learn to honestly express themselves from the inside out while helping parents and leaders to better understand them. This is how the martial arts was for Mr. Johnson in the 70’s with martial arts creative exchange that somehow has been lost but there Kung Fu Hip Hop is bringing it back.
The lasting effects of the values of Kung Fu Hip Hop has been measured through their kids and will manifest for the rest of their life. As a real African American Kung Fu Kid at the young age of three years old the controversy around the new film brings to life the lost history of Martial Arts and the connection of Hip Hop in America and how these elements could contribute to social problems our youth are having today so how could that be wrong? I know Marshieh a real life Kung Fu Kid will see this film and realize even more how much potential he truly has in and out of the world of Martial Arts.