After a considerable hiatus, Eddie Murphy is the star of Netflix’s “Dolemite Is My Name” – an off-kilter biopic about Rudy Ray Moore and his (in)famous pimp alter ego, Dolemite. It is a grossly hilarious yet incredibly touching story about a man’s tenacity and do-it-yourself determination that turned a low budget blaxploitation film into a cultural masterpiece.
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the movie begins with Moore’s life as a struggling comedian whose patience was quickly wearing thin. He found the spark he needed from a neighborhood panhandler named Ricco who’d recite dirty rhymes about an old pimp named Dolemite. Moore adopted the moniker and persona of the urban Black legend whose slick-talking, kung fu fighting and unapologetically vulgar ego immediately became. Particularly a hit in lowkey stand-up comedy circles. After garnering much success, he decided to produce his own movie with fellow comedian and the only woman Dolemite would respect, Lady Reed (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
Together, the two put assembled a star-studded production team to create the orginial film in 1975. It ultimately grossed 12 million at the box office, making it one of the greatest blaxploitation films ever. It inspired a generation of rap music icons and much more.
Snoop Dogg is an avid fan of Dolemite, having sampled much of the comedian’s recordings in his music and starred in the Netfilx version as a disk jockey. Other familiar faces in the biopic included Craig Robinson, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Rock, Tip Harris, Mike Epps, and Tituss Burgess.
There is no better fit for the starring role than Murphy himself. His seamless execution of the gaudy pimp draws undeniable parallels to his portrayal of Jimmy Early in the 2006 film, “Dreamgirls”. It is almost as if Eddie Murphy has his own Dolemite alter ego. He is definitely the kind of actor that makes the viewer forget the film is about a completely different person.
