"The Story of Thugnificent" is the 5th episode of the 2nd season of The Boondocks, and the 20th episode overall. It originally aired on November 5, 2007.
When the world-renowned rapper Thugnificent (AKA Otis Jenkins) moves in across the street from the Freemans in early July 2007, Robert files a public nuisance complaint against him after a loud and noisy party. In response, Thugnificent makes a diss music video entitled "Eff Granddad", invoking a rivalry between the two.
Tropes:
- Actor Allusion: Granddad says of the man playing him in the "Eff Granddad" music video, "That wasn't even me. That's that nigga from Friday dressed like me." This heavily implies that, In-Universe, the man in the music video playing Granddad is actor John Witherspoon, who is the Real Life voice for Granddad.
- Framing Device: The documentary "Rags to Bitches", where Thugnificent discusses his rise from a childhood of poverty to a career as a multi-millionaire rapper.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Thugnificent. He might be boisterous and rude, but on the flip side, he's nice enough to allow Riley and Huey to hang out with him, and was going to apologize to Robert about the valet parking on the latter's yard, until he filed a complaint.
- Ironic Name: "Terrabelle" literally means "beautiful earth" in Latin, despite what an utter shithole this town is. On the other hand, Terrabelle sounds a lot like the word "terrible", which is a more apt description for this place.
- Life Imitates Art: In-universe example. After "Eff Granddad" is released, some impressionable young boys decide to beat the crap out of random old men, in places as far away as Japan. Thugnificent states that the video is only attacking Robert, and denies making any serious statement about beating up old people.
- Rags to Riches: Thugnificent went from living in a very crappy and impoverished small town, to becoming a filthy rich hip hop star. Appropriately, his first album was called "Rags to Bitches".
- Take That!: In-universe example. After Robert filed a complaint against Thugnificent, the latter responded with a song and music video called "Eff Granddad", which depicts Thugnificent and his crew beating the shit out of an actor dressed up as Robert Freeman. Robert tries to (unsuccessfully) retaliate with his own diss rap.
- Wretched Hive: Thugnificent's hometown of Terrabelle, Georgia is a rural slum with an appallingly low quality of life. Between the facts of everyone living in extreme poverty (they have to choose between food or clothes), its astronomically high homicide rates, the local police force disbanding, and an electric fence being built to separate the town from the outside world, it's no wonder why Thugnificent called it the "most fucked up place to be".
