Feature

The Life of a ‘Bronx Princess’

Monday Sep 28, 2009 – By Ebonie Ledbetter

Rocky Otoo, the main subject of PBS’s new documentary “Bronx Princess,” is not your average American teenager. And yet, as filmmakers Yoni Brook and Musa Syeed document Rocky’s life as she graduates from high school, travels to Ghana to live with her father, and begins college life, she feels pretty relatable.

When “Bronx Princess” begins, you’re immediately thrown into Rocky’s world, and the filmmakers make it easy to become engaged in her story. Rocky has a BIG personality, and is extremely driven. She knows where she wants to go, and is ready to work to get there.

All of the settings in the documentary serve as a classroom for Rocky: from her high school to her mother’s store, her father’s palace, and the campus of Dickinson College.

While Rocky is ready to be on her own, her parents want her to take life slow.

Her mother, Auntie Yaa, moved her family to America and is the owner of a beauty supply store in the Bronx. She’s proud of her daughter’s scholarly accomplishments – Rocky’s the first in the family to go to college – but she worries that Rocky will leave behind her respect for her heritage once she goes away to school.

“I just want to leave and never look back,” Rocky asserts after an argument with her mother. Shortly after, Rocky prepares to live in her father’s palace in Ghana for the summer. Her father, a royal chief, also battles with Rocky culturally as he tries to teach her the importance of Ghanaian traditions.

Later, we see Rocky settle into college life and at the end of the documentary, the same young teenager who would do anything to get away from home can’t wait to go back.

In a statement to the viewers, the documentary’s co-directors Yoni Brook and Musa Syeed write, “Rocky’s journey between her parents’ worlds and her future may be filled with squabbles and tears, but those growing pains reflect a young woman forming her own identity.”

And the directors of “Bronx Princess” make watching Rocky’s journey to independence an enjoyable documentary.

“Bronx Princess” is available for viewing here until October 23rd.

lish says:

September 28, 2009 at 11:22 am

I think I might have to check this one out…..being that 1. I am from the bronx and 2. My bf/.bff is Ghanian and I would love to take a look at an aspect of his culture so I will be paying close attention to rocky’s time in Ghana

↑ Reply

Joshua Kissi says:

September 28, 2009 at 11:46 am

Wow , This looks very interesting since I’m a Ghanaian-American born in the Bronx myself straddling both the cultures of America and Ghana. You get critiqued for not being African enough it’s all funny stuff in my opinion.I really really connect and relate to this girl and many other Ghanaians born here in America or raised.

Will watch every episode lol

Yoni Brook says:

September 28, 2009 at 2:15 pm

Thanks for the review! You can talk back to Rocky, the film’s subject, on her Youtube update video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAZywYxaBEg

Thanks,
Yoni
Co-director
Bronx Princess

Angelica Ibezim says:

September 28, 2009 at 10:26 pm

Why doesn’t BET have uplifting shows like this? :/

MizVia says:

September 29, 2009 at 12:45 am

Looks interesting. Like another comment this show should have absolutely been on BET; a more popular station to introduce the larger black population on how the real Africa looks like which tends to be miscontrued in the media as well as offer a glimpse into an African family. The mother looks like she will be funny. I hope I remember to catch it.

Brit says:

September 29, 2009 at 9:28 pm

i heard about this a while back and now i get to see it! yay!

Nyota says:

September 30, 2009 at 1:33 pm

This sounds so interesting. Can’t wait to watch it!

TEXASGRL says:

October 3, 2009 at 1:59 am

Clutch you did it again.You enlighten me. This was great and I would have never known about it if it wasn’t for you… Than You!! This is worth watching. Uplifting and inspiratinal. This documentary touched on so many subjects; for me it was the mother daughter relationship. Hey cluch thanks again….