I wouldn't say it's everyday that I get an invite to meet and take pictures of a major celebrity. It has happened and when it does it's always an interesting adventure.
Last Saturday, March 14, 2015 I received word that Marshawn Lynch was coming to North Oakland, CA to do an interview with E-40 and Mistah Fab for XXL Magazine. I've been told many things about Marshawn Lynch. Despite the fact that I care 0% about football his story is interesting. He comes from Oakland, refuses to do interviews and take pictures as much as possible and is criticized for not bending to the will of an industry that seems to treat athletes of celebrity status like they should be their puppets to toy with. Some fans are upset as well, because I guess they feel these players owe them something. I can understand that, when you are a fan of someone you always want more. You want to get to know them even though they will never know you. You want to understand who they are, and why it is they trigger that effect of needing more of them in your life.
So a celebrity like Marshawn is expected to be used by the public, for the publics entertainment on the publics demands. Maybe if we didn't click on every sensationalized article about celebrities the media would focus on other things than their personal life. Maybe if we didn't hold such high standards to a celebrity that they they could not be forgiven when making life mistakes there would not be so much pressure. It's not as if everyone last one of us has not made mistakes and wished to be forgiven. I can totally imagine why Marshawn does not want to be everyone's little bitch. He controls his image rightfully.
So when I first saw Marshawn ride up in his Lamborghini, covered head to toe completely except for his eyes and nose it didn't really surprise me. When all photographers were asked not to photograph the interview itself that made sense too. Why would XXL and possibly Marshawn want a million pictures of an interview all over the net before it could even be published. I was able to be the only one who snached pictures of him walking from his car, and also leaving in his car. It was one of my finest paparazzi moments. Not that I aspire to be one because I seriously don't! LOL.
(Marshawn arrived in his Beast Mode line, his Aunt walking with him ready to help keep things in line)
What I did learn from this day was more about the community that Marshawn and Mistah Fab came from. The sense of anger and frustration from a community who looks up to Marshawn only to see the rest of America criticizes him at every opportunity. As I stood on the block around the corner from the interview in progress a woman walked up looking around like she was lost. No one would talk to her, they purposely acted as if she was not worth their time. So I approached her and asked if she was looking for anyone. She said "I'm looking for Marshawn. I went to high school with him and I just wanted to say hi and tell him how proud we are of him". I told her that he was around the corner doing an interview, that I was there waiting because they didn't want of ton of people over there taking pictures so that's probably why she couldn't find him. She said "Oh well that figures. The way the media treats him." She suddenly looked so emotional, I could almost see tears in her eyes. Her tone went from soft and sweet to almost completely heartbroken and frustrated. "The way the media treats him, I understand why he's like this. You know they don't understand us, they don't understand where we come from. Where is the media when he comes here and does events for the community? When he's signing autographs for the kids and raising money for them? They don't care about what he does for our kids".
For those who think Marshawn owes them some sort of entertainment through media, you may want to take a note of this. I can not officially confirm anything of what I've heard, but I was told he gives media outlets his full schedule including his charity events. Media outlets never come to charity events, they never show the side of him that wants to bring his community up. This community, the tone in this woman's voice spoke, it said all to me. The frustration of always being forgotten and over looked, treated as an after thought while the children raised are given little to no opportunities to succeed in life. The focus of who Marshawn Lynch is truly is was never cared for in the media or public eye. The idea of growing up in the hood and wanting to make it rich, not just to take care of yourself and your family but to pull up your community as well is something that only few actually follow through on. So what does he owe the fans other than winning superbowls and playing a good game?
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