Detroiters came out to watch and support, the new film, “The Prince of Detroit”. The special premiere began with a star-studded red carpet opening at The Music Hall. The film chronicles the life of character Tony Fox, son of parents who were the country’s first Black owners of an integrated the health system and hospital in Detroit.
The story is based on true events and life story of Thomas “Tommy” Duncan, who plays the role of Tony Fox. From the medical field to other business ventures, Tommy’s parents are view as the Queen and King of Detroit. When betrayal comes against Tony’s parents and they’re left with nothing, Tony is forced give up his entitlement and make a fortune using this teachings and experience of his parents to restore his claim as The Prince of Detroit.
Entrepreneur and filmmaker Damon Dash is behind the production of the movie. Dash once is served as Jay-Z’s manager and business partner at Roc-A-Fella Records and now as CEO of Dame Dash Studios.
“If I’m talking about us culturally uplifting each other and showing these positive visuals, then I have to make a movie that reflects that,” said Damon Dash, Director of The Prince of Detroit. “ It involves entrepreneurship and making money other than what they teach us the only way we can make money is being in entertainment or being an athlete, but actually doing something in healthcare.”
Dash was inspired to take on bringing this story to the big screen after meeting and getting to know Tommy over time. A conversation over how Tommy had just sold his company for over $400 million and the vision to tell his inspiring life story to a public audience intrigued Dash.
“He said he already had a script, I read the script and said we can make it,” Dash recalls. “As I was understanding what the movie was, it something I never seen before. People buying a hospital and having a certain amount of wealth at a certain time, especially because they were Black. This are visuals that we don’t usually see. I just needed to make something that coincided with what I’ve been talking about lately.”
It’s not everyday you see on television and have read in history books the positive reflection of the Black family and their wealth built outside of the usual entertainment and sports world. It’s a part of the reason Dash was intentional of capturing this untold story which captivated his attention as he hope it does for audiences watching.
“I was able to study every single character, and spend time with them and understand their point of views and make that translate on the screen. So for me it was the art piece, it checked off a lot of boxes. It was a challenge for me, it was something that would be good for the culture, and it was something about it being Detroit.”
The idea of bringing this story to life in front of the big screen is a project Dash understood he would carry under his portfolio of work while doing so for Black culture. He recognizes this particular project doesn’t haven’t the typical narrative or storyline Hollywood would get behind.
“I wasn’t expecting the traditional industry to be so receptive,” Dash says. “ They’re not receptive to most of the things I do, because it involves awareness of our independence and self worth. I’m actually the contradiction of the way they want the world to run and what they want us to think of each other.”
I always knew we would do this independent, the whole intention was to put on my network. But it was something so good, this wasn’t something that could just go digitally.”
Dash says the entire film project is a showcase of independence and entrepreneur, checking off a lot of boxes for him personally, while showcase a positive view of the Black community, stark contrast from the view in which some agents asked Dash, “Where’s the gun? I thought this movie would be about a pimp? They say, I don’t think there’s an audience for this because we’ve never seen this before.”
“So, because they’ve never seen a movie that shows this kind of visual, they don’t now how it’s going to react. There’s no algorithm for it. So, I’m trying to create a new algorithm which shows positive images of us, not us beating each other, or us getting beat, but rather us passing a certain degree of wealth and not be economically challenged.”
There is already a sequel in the works for The Prince of Detroit, Dash says. The film is currently playing in select AMC Theatres.
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