This is one of monologues by the character, Levee, from August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Beautiful, powerful writing by August Wilson — and now it’s in movie form with the late Chadwick Boseman playing this character, Levee!
I learned and performed this monologue back in a college acting class, and it’s always stuck with me. This is a performance for fun in honour of the Netflix film release.