Big Sean surprises Detroit students at 'Black Panther' showing

When 900 Detroit students boarded buses and headed to Emagine theater in Royal Oak on Wednesday, they assumed it was to see a free screening of the movie "Black Panther" — a reward for high marks and good attendance.

Little did they know they were in for a big surprise.

After commercials, the screen went blank and students waited in confusion until well-known Detroit rapper Sean Anderson, popularly known as Big Sean, walked in — one of a handful of influencers who helped make the event happen.

Martinez Brogdon, 16, a student at Renaissance High School, said he started getting sleepy because the movie was taking a long time to start, but he perked right up.

"I woke up when he came in," he said. "One of my first big celebrities. ... I was like, 'Oh my goodness, that's Big Sean!' "

While greeting students before the film started, Anderson reminded them that he is a product of Detroit Public Schools and that they, too, have the potential to go far.

"Thanks for coming out DPS, I'm a product of DPS, I'm a product of Detroit, I'm a product of the whole city," Anderson told students. "It's just important to see that we are the best in the world, at DPS, we can do anything. ... We can do things they said we never could do, and I truly am here for y'all."

He also told students about his plans to open up a movie theater in partnership with Emagine in the city of Detroit, which was announced at a news conference a short time earlier with Emagine founder and Chairman Paul Glantz.

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Mumford Academy student Chanice Petty, 14, said it was special getting to see a celebrity from Detroit.

"Famous people that make it ... they don't usually come and see us," Chanice said.

Benjamin Carson High School student Ihfaz Islan, 14, said the experience was extraordinary.

"I've never experienced something like this," he said. "It was pretty cool, because I saw (Big Sean) for the first time in person, someone famous in person."

After the film, Ihfaz said he came away with a new outlook.

"I actually learned a lot from the movie, it taught me a lot about life," he said. "To always work hard and follow your dreams."

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The event came together after former ESPN anchor and Detroit native Jemele Hill tweeted in January that Detroiters should get together to make sure kids see "Black Panther." Hill, Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley, Eminem, Big Sean, the Ford Fund and the Detroit Lions teamed up to turn the idea into reality.

"There is nothing more amazing than watching kids learn — even from a movie," Riley said. "I was so glad to help make this happen and to be a part of these students seeing people who look like them be exceptional."

A support staff member at Mumford High School, Eboni Givens, 38, said she was worried her students were going to trample her when they saw Big Sean arrive, but it was a proud moment overall.

"I was pretty happy, because (Big Sean) went to Cass Tech, my daughter goes to Cass Tech, so I was very proud of him for coming back and just saying hello, and not being untouchable to the students," she said.

Givens said the viewing was a reward for students who made the honor roll.

"Everyone is saying, you know ... DPS is horrible and everything," she said. "I really think that DPS is making a comeback. I'm just proud. I'm happy; I'm proud of our students because a lot of people just expect them to do horribly, because they're inner city kids, but they're doing excellent and I'm very proud."

Miss Black Michigan USA Kelsi Horn, 22, was an event volunteer. She said it was awesome to see Anderson come back and present a film like "Black Panther," because it was a strong demonstration of "black excellence."

"It's just amazing for (Anderson) to come back and talk to each of these kids and show them what it looks like to defy odds," Horn said. "'Black Panther' was such a powerful film for so many reasons. Often, black people are depicted as the villains in society, so to come to a movie and see so many black people portrayed just in excellence ... in the STEM field, as leaders, as the hero ... I wish I could have seen something like this as a child, just to know that we are so much more than we're often portrayed to be."

Fellow event volunteer Adonis Ventura, 25, of Detroit said he signed up to help out because he wanted to see students get fired up and inspired. He echoed Horn's sentiments about the significance of the film.

"We don't want to see stereotypes all the time, and I think this (movie) definitely breaks the mold," he said.

Contact Aleanna Siacon: ASiacon@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AleannaSiacon.