The streaming revolution continues: Brown Sugar, a new streaming app dedicated to blaxploitation films, launched today. This is a big deal for those of us who, say, grew up in a super small town and were exposed to certain film genres only when they became available in the wee hours of a sleepless night (see also: vintage Bollywood films). Whether you dig blaxploitation or don’t, it’s a fitting tribute to the work of the creators and creatives behind these films that 111 of them, from the more high profile (say, Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown) to the virtually unknown, are now available for a cool $3.99 a month. Familiarizing yourself with the oeuvre is also a great way to discover the origins of early hip-hop style, fashion, and lyricism, not to mention for Tarantino fans to track from whence he swiped some of his best moves. Like blaxploitation’s Queen Bee Pam Grier says, “Brown Sugar is like Netflix, only blacker.”
