Sweetback’s Baadassss Song. The only way Melvin could continue his quest to get such a socially empowering film in theaters that featured an mostly African American cast, was if he passed it off as a porn movie so that the big wigs behind the scenes in the film industry wouldn’t shut the whole movie down…go figure. So yep, you read that right, there were REAL sex scenes in that film…who knew?

Melvin struggled to get the independent funding he needed, partly because word got around that it was a porn film, but he still managed to find several supporters and Bill Cosby was one of his biggest financers. Mario eventually did a movie about his dad’s struggles in making that movie and he titled his version after his Dad’s movie. Mario’s movie was titled Baadassss.

Here’s another Old School fun fact: Melvin Van Peebles is also the person who gave Earth Wind and Fire their first big break by allowing them to score that film. So yes folks, EW&F’s first major gig was a porn film. We learn something new everyday, don’t we?

Okay now back to Mario Van Peebles. He’s still doing his thing in the film industry and he is currently married to Chitra Sukhu Van Peebles. They have five children: Makaylo, Mandela, Marley, Maya and Morgana (three boys, two girls).