Last Wednesday, after I got out of class, I got a call from Cousin Dee. She was calling to tell me about the $4.99 8 piece deal jumping off at Popeye’s. After she told me about the 8 piece deal, I was like, why are you telling me this? Who calls someone to tell them about an 8 piece special from Popeye’s? Then I told her that she was spreading real ghetto news.
After she told me that she was on her way to pick up her special, we hung up & I laughed about the whole thing.
Then I started wondering how wide spread this 8 piece mess was. So to test the news, I called my sister, whose very ghetto to see if she knew about the special. I was fucked up when she told me that she had already picked hers up, two of them in fact.
I then called BFF Brion in VA & he told me that his cousin in Detroit called him that morning to let him know about it. Then she also mentioned that she had been waiting on the deal. BFF Brion told me that the special was not advertised in his area so he was not getting on. Then we had a laugh on the implications of this ghetto offering.
So when I finally got home, I decided to Google Popeye’s 8 piece special & was totally shocked, yes shocked to see that it was for Earth Day. A fried chicken Earth Day special geared towards Negroes in the hood??? How is offering 8 pieces of delicious greasy as hell chicken help for Earth Day? Wha-tha-mutha-fuck???
A) Heating a bunch of grease is not earth friendly
B) People running up a bunch of gas while sitting on the drive-thru is not earth friendly
C) A bunch of unhealthy people filled with greasy chicken will not be good for the earth once that mess comes out & enters the sewage system.
After I started to parse all of this out, I just happened to go on FaceBook & almost all of my friends were talking about this fucking 8 piece. Some were saying that wanted it, some were saying that they went to get one but could not deal with the long lines etc. I was just through with hearing this mess.
Then I got another call from Cousin Dee, who was calling to update me on her 8 piece pursuit status. At this point she was 9 cars deep on the drive-thru. I tried to convince her that it’s not that deep but she was not hearing me. She wanted that damn 8 piece spicy with red beans & rice.
I tell you, that 8 piece business really tripped me out. Honestly, I saw it as a racist marketing scheme on a day that we should be paying homage to our mother earth.
OK fast forward 3 days later to last Saturday night. I’m reading “What Would Thembi Do (http://www.whatwouldthembido.com) (one of my favorite blogs) & all of my disgust with that tacky ass Popeye’s Earth Day special came back after reading her “Fracas Over Popeye’s Fried Chicken Price” post.
I love Thembi, because she keeps it real & we are often on the same page, especially in this case.
After seeing the videos that she posted, I thought I was dying. The outrage that would be 8 piece purchasers went through tripped me the fuck out. Who in the world is that pressed to purchase greasy food to feed their family??? I mean, I know we are in a recession but come on. For real! Cathing a cab up to Popeye’s? Damn!
Anyway, with all this said, I’m totally done with Popeye’s. I will miss it for sure but I don’t need it in my life. Their most recent attack on the Black community is just too much for me.
Perhaps I’m tripping but we all need to take a stand on something. I tell you, a greasy 2 or 8 piece seems to be the Black man’s Kryptonite.
I Stay woke!
On a separate but related note:
I’m willing to bet that 85% of tickets sold for “Obsessed” were purchased by people who got that 8 piece for 4.99 from Popeye’s last week.
9/19 / April 28, 2009
what is up with the sign at 1:47? is ordering chicken that serious? this is so not right.
toni / April 28, 2009
Shit(you people are making me curse) like this, makes me wanna turn in my ghetto pass, my Black card, & whatever else represents my membership in the African-American community! I stopped eating fast food chicken 15 years ago, so I didn't really pay attention to all the hoopla. But people taking it so seriously? Shaking my head. Congratulation, Tafari, another post of yours is making me have to go lie down.
NappTown / April 28, 2009
This is tripping me out. I live in the D and I did not hear of this. I already do not eat KFC or Churches. Thanks for the heads up. I will be crossing Popeye’s off my list too. I gotta say the people in the video’s were cracking me up! LOL! They were sooooo serious! I mean would you really eat some chicken they had out back in a dump truck?!!! Even if it was on ice. I am over here rolling. Whew!!!
Invisible Woman / April 28, 2009
This was the funniest sh*t I think I ever read in my life…dude, I had tears!
Catching a cab? That is some f*cked up ghetto mathmatics, cause you done ate up your bottom line with the cab ride..jeesh.
Boycott Popeye’s! I Stay Woke!
SLC / April 29, 2009
My wife called me about this mess asking me to check Popeye’s by my job because the one near her was to crowded. I asked her if I could just pick up some chicken from Kroger ($6.99) like I always do, but she wasn’t hearing it. Glad to say the line was too long by job so I escaped with my cholesterol in tact.
She’s a couple of weeks away from a masters in education. She’s getting an 8 piece as a gift.
Tafari / April 29, 2009
Lenny – I know right. It might as well have said, your on tapes, go ahed with your order please.
Toni – Shit like this so makes a nigga walk away from the community & not look back, point blank! Hope that nap was good boo! And I dont know how you do it. ATL is full of fried chicken spots.
NappTown – I did not hear about it until then evening the day of. Goes to show that you have better & more important things to think about, you dont give in to these types of campaigns & foolishness. Home girl was like I want this shit now, give it to my raw or give it to me fried. LOL!!!
Invisible Woman – LOL!!! Right. That shit about catching a cab to sit on a drive-thru fucked me up but brought back memories of when I worked at KFC back in the day. At the 1st of every month, cabs would be lined up. No fucking joke! And yes, we must stay woke boo!
SLC – You killed me. No she didn't! Kroger's chicken is on bumb & that is a good call! If you want a healthy alternative though, you HAVE to try the rotisserie chicken at Sam's Club. That bitch is de-fuckin'-licious!!!! No doubt.
That 8 piece gift may be hit or miss, a real woman will be like hell yeah baby. Let me know what happens. And congrats to your boo.
One more thought: How many chickens had to die in order for this special to jump off?? For real!
Tafari
brotherkomrade / April 29, 2009
This has got to be your funniest piece yet. I posted it on my FB.
Look me up on FB if you get the chance. I’m known as darkly wander.
JB / April 30, 2009
oh dear…. I love it. really!!
Tafari / May 1, 2009
brotherkomrade – LOL!!!The sad thing is, is that this is real. The shame, or lack there of!!!
JB – Hey thx for checking me out!
Tafari
Amber "Bam" Cabral / May 2, 2009
I have been a bit out of touch lately, but THIS WAS HILARIOUS!!!!
HAAAAAAAAA!
I swear I am in tears rollin over here and trust I needed the laugh.
Trust.
Not enough for me to come off Hiatus, but indeed funny.
Tafari / May 3, 2009
Bam – At least I pulled you out for a hot minute!
Reel Whore / May 12, 2009
Funny and sad cuz it’s true.
My father-in-law works at the airport since retiring and he says coworkers will hop a plane (they fly free) on a 1/2 hr flight to grab Popeye’s at the next hub?!?
I thought that was crazy, but catching cabs and sitting in long-ass drive-thru lines isn’t worth it for ANY meal deal.
You can add a D) Raising and killing all those chickens is not earth friendly.