Ice Cube reflects on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Friday, inadvertently raising philosophical questions about mortality in the process.
It’s a common misconception, one peddled rather furiously by of all people, that time goes by so slowly. In reality, the passage of time is but one of life’s mysterious blink-and-you-missed-it events. Before long, your hairs are graying. Three drinks can lead to a hangover of epic proportions. Friday, ‘s classic comedy and part of the reason Deebo remains one of hip-hop’s most referenced antagonists, turns twenty-five. Where does the time go, we’re left to wonder.
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Cube himself pondered that very conundrum on his Instagram page mere hours ago. “Daaaamn,” he writes, elongating his curse to symbolize the passage of years gone by. “25 years went fast.” And to further emphasize his point, an iconic clip from the film itself, one depicting a youthful Ice Cube and a youthful Chris Tucker deeply in character. While it’s not technically the official anniversary date, as “Friday” was originally released on April 26th, 1995, it should be noted that today is, in fact, Friday. And thus, is it not all the more appropriate?
Surely we could all use a little cheering up, what with a pandemic threatening the very fabric of our society. What better way to do so than to reflect on a hilarious and enduring piece of cinema while pondering the fragile nature of our own mortality. Bye Felicia, it was said; so too, as we shuffle off this mortal coil, do we all inevitably become Felicia.
