5 Times "The Boondocks" Predicted The Future

The Boondocks was an adult animated series known for its satirical humor, stellar voice cast, and anime-inspired fight sequences. It is often said that "art imitates life" but sometimes it can also predict it. Series creator Aaron McGruder often used the show to hold up a mirror to the problems in society. Through his societal observations of the past, it's as if he knew what would come in the future. He made his commentary more accessible through humor but the messages were always clear. Viewers of the show looked forward to seeing McGruder commentate on even more events since the show ended in 2014, but rumors of a reboot have been axed. However, clips from the show continue to go viral, and new viewers quickly realize how ahead of its time the series truly was.

This is one of The Boondocks' earliest episodes and one of the most relevant. For obvious reasons, R. Kelly has become a divisive figure in the music world due to his accusations of sex abuse and trafficking. This episode from 2005 focused on people’s reactions to his case. In typical Boondocks fashion, the main characters Huey and Riley have two contrasting opinions on the situation. Riley sides with R. Kelly and reinforces his stance by stating the victim in the case was in the situation voluntarily. Kelly’s lawyer focuses on the singer's "Blackness" to appeal to the jury. Meanwhile, Huey chastises the people in the court for not understanding how the evidence against Kelly shows that he is the perpetrator. The episode depicts how people ignored Kelly’s actions simply because they loved his music so much. In 2022, social media echoed this, and many people shared this perspective of support.

This 2010 episode of The Boondocks is special because it predicted two events that initially seemed unrelated. First, it predicted people’s responses to a new food item at a fast food restaurant. Then, it predicted a worldwide virus pandemic and how people responded. In 2019, Popeyes released a chicken sandwich, and a social media storm took over. Viral videos of long lines and people enjoying the sandwich took over timelines. However, in the episode, the restaurant is Kentucky Fried Chicken.

In the series, Riley and Granddad end up in traffic for several hours due to the length of the drive-thru line. Once they finally get to the restaurant they are out of chicken and people storm the counter, fight, and someone drives into the store. Huey sees a news report with situations like that happening nationwide.

Several rappers lent their voices to characters on The Boondocks. However, one of the most memorable was Yasiin Bey (AKA Mos Def) as the voice of rapper Gangstalicious. He was one of Riley’s favorite rappers and turned out to be gay. However, his clothing line, which Riley proudly wears, is questioned by many people around him.

One of the items is “shorts for thugs,” which are shorts that have a flap all the way around them - resulting in what looks like a skirt. Rappers Kanye West, Diddy, Wiz Khalifa, and more have worn this style, although “kilt” was the more accurate term in their situations. Further, Riley also wears a cropped white tank top from the line, and Lil Pump has worn a sports bra - as a joke. Lastly, Riley dons a shoulder bag from the line, which looks like a purse, and this accessory is popular with many men in 2023.

The prediction in this Boondocks episode happened in the episode’s final minutes. Coming at the end when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. went into and came out of a coma after his shooting, the final “what if” moment closes the episode. Dr. King’s character gives a speech filled with a wealth of topics, and people decide to take action in many different ways. NBA players go on strike, students stop dropping out, and people protest at the White House.

Then, police officers with riot shields and tear gas attacked the protesters. This is precisely what happened when people protested there in 2020. The final shot of the episode shows a newspaper for 2020 declaring Oprah had been elected President of the United States. Rumors of Oprah running for President began in 2020, but she shot them down several times.

This is the second event this episode of The Boondocks predicted. Huey is watching the news and realizes that the chicken from KFC that everyone was trying to get is spreading a new worldwide virus. He concludes that to survive, he and his family must quarantine in their house and not let anyone in. He wears a mask, but his is more robust than the cloth ones most of us were wearing in 2020.

As time progresses, he lets more and more people in the house. In yet another humorous depiction of reality, a character named Leonard brings the chicken into the house, thinking that the buffalo wings are actually buffalo, not chicken. Neighbor Tom eats the chicken due to the low resources in the house and must be quarantined. Anyone who enters his room must wear a hazmat suit. 

What other moments from real life have you seen The Boondocks predict? Let us know in the comments section.

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