When a back man (played by Key) is harassed by a police officer and arrested for no reason, a homeless man (played by Peele) steps in to take the young man to an alternate dimension called Negrotown.
In a musical number, Peele explains that the town is a sort of utopia for African Americans. In this world, all of the racism, prejudice, fear, and general offense that comes with being black in America no longer exists.
Negrotown is the embodiment of everything African Americans could want in a society they could call their own. Most notably, there are no white people in this town. In fact, they seem to be banned from upsetting this perfect oasis. "No white folks to cross the street in fear/ No trigger-happy cops or scared cashiers." This town really does seem like a dream-come-true for black people!
One line in particular really resonated with me: "No stupid *ss white folks touchin' your hair." Being an African American teen I have an idea of what some black women face on a regular basis. Thankfully, the number of incidents when a white person has tried to touch my hair are few, but I remember feeling very awkward and uncomfortable when it happened. The first person who did it didn't even ask me if it was O.K. to touch my hair. And the second person absentmindedly asked after they had already started to comb their fingers through my braids. I've never understood what the fascination was with my hair just because it was different. I have never felt the urge to touch a white persons hair: especially no without their permission.
It's just always been a pet-peeve of mine and I sometimes feel the urge to inform white people-- or any person who isn't black-- that there are some men and women who will feel justified in lashing out at you physically or verbally. I'M TRYIN'A SAVE SOME LIVES, HERE!
All joking aside, Key and Peele do a great job of addressing the severity of what the black community faces all across America. I mean, really think about it: we feel so violated in our own country that the fantasy world created by Key and Peele seems like an oasis of love in a desert of racism and misdirected hate.
The video that Key and Peele made has a lot of foul language including the N-word. I have included a link to the video at the end of the blog, but for those of you who are uncomfortable with their choice of language, I have included the lyrics here and have bleeped out the curse words.
Negrotown by Key and Peele
"Follow me to a place I know
Where there ain't no pain and there's no sorrow
It's a place to be if your skin is brown
I'm talkin' 'bout Negrotown
In Negrotown you can walk the street
Without getting stopped, harassed or beat
There is always a cab when you need to get around
And they always stop in Negrotown
You won't get followed when you try to shop
You can wear your hoody and not get shot
No white folks to cross the street in fear
No trigger-happy cops or scared cashiers
That loan application can't get turned down
You're always approved in Negrotown
We're goin' down to Negrotown
Where the strong black men are raining down
There's light skinned, dark skinned: every shade
And there's no white b*tches to take them away
In Negrotown you live long and well
There's no disease; no sickle cell
No stupid *ss white folks touchin' your hair
Or steeling your culture and claiming it's there's
Hanging out in a group doesn't make you a gang
Every word you say ain't considered slang
No one tryin'a get in on the latest trend
By making you their token black friend
There's a place where harmony is found
(It's a mother f*ckin' black play ground)
I'm talkin' 'bout Negrotown!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg58d8opQKA
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