Spoken by legendary artist Tupac Shakur, THUG LIFE stands for “The hate you give little infants f**** everyone.” This quote was mentioned several times throughout the film, The Hate U Give, a movie about the changes in a black girl’s life after she witnesses the shooting of her friend by a police officer. The quote explains that generations of hate and the inequality starts with parents and ancestors before them and that if change is going to happen it needs to start now. Starr Carter, the main character, represents that change in THUG. It was an amazing and inspirational film in its depiction of the  “thug life”.

The hate you give is not just hate, it is the feeling you have on life itself that you pass down to the next generation. Thug life was a lifestyle that developed in order to survive and provide for your family. Thug life is a phrase and concept that is complex and nearly indescribable, yet The Hate U Give incorporated all perspectives that come from the stereotypical ideology of a thug life.

The Hate U Give was a heartfelt realization of the hardships of being stereotyped in society. Every character within the movie portrayed a different perspective on situations surrounding race, evolving the topic of modern racial standards. People need to see this to truly understand other’s view on racial stereotypes and how generations can change.

The movie accurately incorporated all aspects of being black and the deeper meaning of the identity. During Starr’s time at her predominately white school she felt the need to hide a part of herself, her true black self, from her friends because she didn’t want to be seen as the black friend or give a reason to be stereotyped.

My favorite character was Chris, Starr’s boyfriend, who was an upper class white kid that went to school with Starr. I loved his character because he explained that he doesn’t see color. He perceives people as people and solely based on personality not necessarily race, which is how society should be. People shouldn’t be first perceived on color, but on how they carry themselves.

Parts during this movie made me see the ways the black people can be racially stereotyped, and it was sad to see it on the big screen. There were stereotypes that should not have even been made because of this day and age. That whether someone is a “threatening or non threatening black person” as mentioned in the movie.

Stereotypes affects everyone’s actions and THUG accurately portrays the conflict one goes through when faced with stereotypes. Like I mentioned, all perspectives were included, even a black cop who was treated like family in the movie explained that if he saw a white in a suit when pulled over in an expensive car and he reached for something he would say hands up, but if it was a black man in regular clothes that was pulled over and he reached for something he would just shoot with no hesitation. This scene emphasizes the fear and anger behind the stereotype of being black.

THUG depicted the importance of accepting your color and ethnicity. Through Starr’s character and her growth as a person, THUG depicts the strength necessary to accept yourself and your color without letting it define all aspects of life. The Hate U Give has the theme that you are more than your color and breaks the stereotypical attitudes surrounding race, and is a culturally relevant movie in its portrayal of modern American racial relationships.