In his home country Cameroon, Sona Lionel (aka Sona, the Voice) eclipsed destitute poverty and became renowned throughout the country for his rapping ability.
At 17, Sona immigrated to Milwaukee. Now 22, he has received a degree in chemistry and biochemistry form University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, released an album on his own Imperial record label and is now touring his new documentary film Behold Something Bigger than Tupac.""
This provocative film takes the hip-hop industry head on, citing a continual degradation in culture and content in rap music since the death of Tupac Shakur, with detrimental effects he chronicles from American soil to, to Europe, to all the way home in Africa. Sona and his marketing/promotions associate Stanley Perry discuss the film with the Cardinal, which will play Saturday, Sept. 20. 6:30 p.m. at Memorial Union Theatre.
On the reception and response from the first showing in Milwaukee.
Sona: We've had a lot of positive response from some of the people who have actually seen the film and are actually, like, part of the hip-hop community. Most of the negative response I've had is mostly people leaving comments on YouTube like 'I fucking hate you.'
Stanley: It's like reading a good book on a subject you never really read before, and then knowing you could go into that subject a lot more and that's because this one book was a catalyst for the whole subject.
People agreed with parts and disagreed with parts, but at the exact same time still left with an understanding '¦ It really helps people understand a culture that is, like, right now imploding into itself.
On the charges that this film is arrogant and disrespectful toward Tupac.
Sona: People see the trailers and they feel like its kind of like, disrespecting Tupac. The movie's got to do about Tupac too, but it doesn't really disrespect him, it actually portrays him as a hero '¦ People who would see the trailer they would be like, 'Wow, who the hell are you to talk about something being bigger than Tupac.'
It's going to be something that you're either really going to like it or you're really going to hate it, but you're going to have to sit down and watch it and be the judge.""
Stanley: ""By saying 'Behold something bigger than Tupac' helps the message set in, because without saying that people will never listen to the message '¦ That's pretty much where the name comes from.
It's a conversational tool at most for people who identify with hip-hop or who love hip-hop.
On what showing this to the youth culture and expanding to the rest of the country will accomplish.
Sona: The thing that I really love about this movie is that it's something that is really positive to society. So going into society and talking to the youths that are the leaders of tomorrow, it's going to be a really huge positive.
I also feel like it's going to be inspirational because, you know, there's young kids that want to be film makers too '¦ Showing them 'Oh look at me, I'm just this young dude who came from nothing doing whatever I have to do.'
The final word.
Sona: It's going to put that question mark in the mind of people. It's going to make people who've got it all good sit down and see situations that are far worse than what they could ever imagine.
