I just saw this move. I loved the music and the "stepping" which I never knew existed - it's a mix of hip-hop and military drills. Fun.
Any comments?

Being a member of one of the greatest africian american fraternities ever. Trust me when I say 'stomp the yard" is in no way an accurate portrayal of africian american greek life. It does have some moments that members of sororities and frats can relate too.....very few moments.

I have done countless step shows in large arenas and spur of the moment joints on many yards just because. "Stomp the Yard" is a weak "you got served meets drumline" w/ a frat/sorority spin to it. When I heard of the movie I thought it was going to pick up where "School Daze" and " A different world" left off. But they failed.

Steppin' is done out of pride and love for one's organization. The movie failed to mention that and made it worse by portraying steppin' as a dance battle.

JQuad said:

You Got Served vs Drumline. Awesome.

JQuad said:

I agree totally. I also am a member of the greatest african american fraternity ever and this movie is waaaaay off based to true stomping. Now the question is am I or is J Quad THE member of the greatest fraternity????
[Edited 1/24/07 11:50am]

well I am a member of the greatest african american sorority ever, and i didn't bother wasting my money on going to see the movie. The previews were enough for me to know that the movie is just glamourized.

I agree with JQuad, if it was about where School Daze left off, then it may had been interesting, but it's hard to get a realistic movie out of Hollywood these days.
[Edited 1/24/07 12:35pm]

I found it funny that Chris Brown died before all of the action went down in the movie but the only reason people are seeing it is because of him...

exactly most 12-17yr olds are goin to see Chris Brown 1st. 4 those who wish to know I represent the often imitated,never duplicated,the ones u love to hate and hate to love....the peoples choice....the Men of OMEGA PSI PHI

ABeautifulOne said:

he died in the movie? how did that happen? did he dance himself to death?
[Edited 1/25/07 6:55am]

JQuad said:

Then we are BOTH members of the greatest fraternity in the world!!!!!
I sent you and orgnote
[Edited 1/25/07 7:38am]
[Edited 1/25/07 13:40pm]

missfee said:

He was shot in the first 15 minutes or so after his brother and some friends won a dance off against a guy and he caught them off guard afterwards because the guy was mad they won and he didn't...

ABeautifulOne said:

so he got shot because he turned the competition out...how corny.

missfee said:

Pretty much...Chris seemed like he wouldn't act anyways it was as if he were reading his lines on a board or something.

ABeautifulOne said:

maybe he would have liked it better if he could have "danced" his lines out...

was that Brian White fella in the movie?

Taurus said:

Then you're both delusional, 2nd tier, disgruntled, "young'ins" (hint,hint)

missfee said:

Yes he was...I also spotted Keith Sweat in the little competition part of the movie too.

JQuad said:

I've heard that opinion from a few of my friends that are in Frats. There was even a call for Black Greeks to boycott the movie.

I read in a recent issue of JET magazine that many of the Major Black fraternities got together and threatened to sue Sony and the filmmakers to prevent them from using any of the Greek letters and trademarks of their associations, that may be why the movie looks like a diluted after school special. I haven't seen it yet, so I have no other opinion of it.

i saw the flick with a couple of my mentees. i've seen way better stepping that's for sure. but despite the fact that i've always thought frats and sororities were for the shallow (no offense; i can't GENERALIZE; some cool peeps; but as a former "activist" on my own campus, when we needed the blk greeks to represent for some REAL ISSUES, they were MIA, but i digress),

i thought the movie was positive apart from its portrayal of blk greek life. the aspects of the film i used as "talking points" were how the lead character was his "own person", learned to admit when he was wrong, etc. rare today amongst youth. also how the film portrayed classism, and lastly it was basically a blk love story featuring college students. a rare portrayal of blk love on screen that wasn't freakish or vulgar. i enjoyed it and am glad to see it doing well. the stepping was secondary in theme and skill IMO.

a good companion film to Freedom Writers as vehicles to spark convo. with urban youth.

I'd like to give this thread a big ol' fat WRONG FORUM!

Man, Stomp the Yard is a disgrace to black Greeks period. That shit sends the wrong message to those outside college and Greek life. Fraternities and sororites were organizations founded with the purpose of unity during a time when racism and discrimination towards Blacks forced us to stick together. We are not entertainment groups and muhfuckas aint getting recruited because they can dance. I know where I come from....you aint getting recruited PERIOD! If it's in your heart to be a part of the BOND or BROTHERHOOD/SISTERHOOD...then YOU seek it.

Stomp the Yard threatens to commercialize Greeks on some bullshit the same way Hip Hop is being exploited for the wrong reasons...and I personally take offense to misrepresentation of something that I'm a part of. ANYBODY who really pledged would see this...so if you ask me...it took you 9 months to sign the application and get your membership card. You couldnt have pledged...and if so....it was obviously either for the wrong reasons or you wasnt made right.

Stomp on that

funkonthe1 said:

What a way to get that very first post in there!

yo, i know my experience isn't universal, but if the reputation of black greeks is tainted, they can't blame Stomp the Yard. I graduated a decade ago and there was no Stomp the Yard movie, and the black greeks on my campus were some shallow "ho's" (male and female). it might sound harsh but it was true. again when it was time to demonstrate true brotherhood and sisterhood as it related to some very high profile instances where unity was needed, they were MIA. i found they only show up when their frat or sorority gets "top billing" and a photo opp. can't blame the film for any of this, happened a long time ago.

" Then you're both delusional, 2nd tier, disgruntled, "young'ins" (hint,hint)" - sounds like someone is hating.

1st off greeks are human. As a whole frats/sororities aren't as active as they were say back in the early days(20s,30s,40s,50,60,70). But neither are afr. americans as whole either. Greek letters don't make folks shallow...it may enhance it....but chances are its embedded before hand.

As a proud member of OMEGA PSI PHI. I can say greek life has been tainted. Some greeks did "stomp the yard"!!!! People have to remember there is a "inc." after every frat/sorority. Sooooo tradition,values and principles have been at times out weighted by business. I for one am proud to have joined an organization founded to uplift my people. Whenever i cross paths w/ my own frat brothers or fellow greeks I challenge them to be more than t-shirt wears or side lined participants. Remind them that we are a part of something that is bigger than us and was found on principles that are bigger than us.

Those grreks that took part in doin "stomp the yard" could've easily gotten in contact w/the other 8 greek organizations and made something momumental. But instead they made something that will be dis- owned.

Adisa- I know that's not "yo" folks in the new vibe co-signing for this movie

activism didn't die, just like breakdancing didn't. it just pressed on, covertly without all the media fanfare. so that doesn't let blk greeks off the hook for being MIA. if its about history, if history is properly passed along, the "activity" shouldn't wane. "humanity" as an excuse for unacceptable behavior will always be that, an excuse.

one of the things i like about the film, is when it said, the letters don't make u, u make the letters. but the notion that the blk greeks would've gotten together for this film when they NEVER get together for anything is naive. i understand if they disown the film, i don't think its FOR them/yall. and again, if one film can undo decades of "legacy" then was it really a legacy at all?

drumline meets u got serve is a very appropriate description.
the purists are offended but the youth who are dropping out by the minute like it, maybe it'll whet their appetite for college to some small degree.

My question is, if Chris Brown is only in the film for a hot second, WHY IN THE HELL IS HE ON EVERY SHOW PROMOTING IT LIKE HE'S A MAJOR PART OF THE FILM?!

I know I'm shouting but damn, he is getting on my nerves

bboy87 said:

Chris is selling the movie since he is a big household name and the other people are reative unknowns. It's kind of like Beyonce in Dreamgirls, she isn't the star but they are promoting it as if she is so people can see it...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Two fraternity brothers both received two-year prison terms Monday from a judge who said she wanted to send a message with the state's first prosecution under a felony hazing law.

Florida A&M University students Michael Morton, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, and Jason Harris, 25, of Jacksonville, were led from the courtroom in handcuffs, as was Harris' lawyer, Richard Keith Alan II, who was charged with indirect criminal contempt.

Morton, former president of the university's Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, was found guilty of striking prospective member Marcus Jones, 20, of Decatur, Ga., with a wooden cane so severely during four nights of initiation rites that he underwent surgery for bruising to his buttocks.

Harris was convicted of participating by encouraging Jones to bear up under the beatings and reviving him with water after he passed out so he could go back for more punishment.

Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker did not explain her decision to charge Alan with contempt of court, but he often argued with her rulings, even after the decisions were made.

She said she imposed a two-year sentence on the fraternity members to deter others.

"I want to save the victims who will quietly go along because they want to belong," Dekker said. "I want schools to be furious and mad and upset that they can lose talent to this and come down hard on hazing."

They could have received 12 months to five years under sentencing guidelines for their December conviction. The 2005 law made it a felony to participate in hazing that results in serious bodily injury.

It was the second trial for Morton, Harris and three other Kappa Alpha Psi members. The first jury was unable to reach a verdict for any of the five defendants after raising questions about serious bodily injury, which is not defined in the law. The second jury also was unable to reach a verdict for the other three defendants, and they are to be tried a third time in March.

Clergy members, university professors and former Florida A&M University President Fred Gainous testified that Morton and Harris were upstanding, and they urged leniency.

They also asked the judge to withhold adjudication of guilt, which she refused to do. That decision means Harris, a pharmacy major, and Morton, who was two weeks from graduating with an engineering degree, probably will be unable to get state licenses in those professions.

Morton told the judge that he grew up without a father in his home and asked to be released so he could be a father to his unborn child. His fiancee, Lena Gallego, tearfully told the judge that she was more than four months pregnant and that Morton would never again appear in court unless it was to marry her.

Jones, who also suffered a broken ear drum that has since healed, was not in court. He told the judge in a statement that he still has pain and suffers from stress, depression and flashbacks.

His father, Army Master Sgt. Mark Jones, addressed Dekker in person, saying the defendants have not shown remorse.

"They tortured my son," the elder Jones said. "He wasn't hazed. He was tortured."

Chuck Hobbs, a lawyer who represented all the defendants except Harris, said Marcus Jones could have withdrawn from the initiation at any time.

"So I don't view him as the helpless victim," Hobbs said. "I view him as the willing participant."

The new law, though, prohibits evidence of willing participation from being used as a defense to hazing