Wakanda Forever: Remembering Chadwick Boseman

By Erik Cork

Rest In Power, Young King CHAD BOZEMAN.  You were just coming into your own.  You were generally regarded as “The Next Denzel” with no other contenders to this elite super-star throne.

Born in South Carolina in 1976, YOUR NAME meant BOX OFFICE to Hollywood executives who picked YOU to portray historic icons like Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall and James Brown.  However, when CHAD BOZEMAN played King T’Challa in the blockbuster BLACK PANTHER, your talented name became the talk of the town.

Your fans NEVER KNEW you had been fighting cancer for the past 4 YEARS.  Everyone is now in SHOCK!!  Your close family, your colleagues and your peers are shedding inconsolable tears because 43 years old seems WAY TOO YOUNG to die.  Not many folks who might live to see 100 will achieve YOUR admirable accomplishments – no matter how much or how hard they might try.

CHAD BOZEMAN – you exuded class and dignity.  You were an elite actor who studied & perfected your craft.  You were serious.  You were skilled.  You were sincere.  You loved to smile.  You loved to laugh.

Colon cancer canceled your future performances in SUPER HERO FILMS that made Black people proud.  Grown folks showed up in record numbers to theaters wearing dashikis to represent WAKANDA and Black Pride OUT LOUD.

The acting crowd in Heaven will welcome your brilliance like we gaze at a SHOOTING STAR.  They will not do lines from any of your billion-dollar grossing movies.  It must be royal welcoming already, so far…

Regardless of who you are, you must ADMIT actor Chad Bozeman was 100 percent LEGIT.  He was a polished professional ironically ahead of his time – because TIME and LONGEVITY was not on his resume – even though iconic “King T’Challa” will LIVE FOREVER in our hearts and mind.

WAKANDA FOREVER – but more importantly, how will you wake up and LIVE YOUR LIFE tomorrow?  Chad Bozeman is receiving TRIBUTES because he lived out his dream in the midst of secret chemo treatments and private sorrow.

Rest In Peace, Young Warrior Prince.  You had the whole world absolutely CONVINCED you were invincible as the The Black Panther.  You were a COMET whose light was bright and very condensed as YOU, Idris Elba and Jamie Foxx were the 1, 2 or 3 ANSWER in a very short window of Black box office fame.  And just like Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, James Brown & King T’Challa – young CHAD BOZEMAN – the world will always remember YOUR NAME!