Ava Duvernay's 13th is a pretty gripping look at America's mass incarceration epidemic, centered on the 13th Amendment loophole that's essentially allowed the prison system to perpetuate state-sanctioned slavery. With Pusha T at peak political engagement of late, popping up on the campaign trail for Hillary and Tim Kaine, Complex set up a chat between Duvernay and King Push about the importance of the film and the core issues it addresses.
The conversation unpacks some of the key ideas of the film, including a quick primer on the 13th Amendment itself, and an inventory of how the current incarceration epidemic connects to a broader history of systematic, racialized inequity in the justice system.
The issue is one Pusha has been extremely vocal on for a while now, including the aforementioned campaign stops, headlining dates on California's #SchoolsNotPrisons Tour, and meeting with the President to talk criminal justice reform.
Read an essay by The FADER's Jason Parham on 13th and Birth of a Nation here.
