VICE - Inside the FBI Hunt for "Black Identity Extremist"
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Rakem Balogun, an outspoken black activist in Dallas, is considered the first person to be targeted as a “Black Identity Extremist”. After being detained for nearly 6 months on weapons charges, VICE met up with Rakem on the day he was released from prison to learn more about the events leading to his arrest and real-world repercussions of the new “Black Identity Extremist” label.
In our first episode, Gonzo decides to exploit the fear and loathing surrounding the chaos of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and criminal convictions in New York City, discovering a moral conundrum between media, politics, and the American Dream.
Gonzo hustles to get the inside scoop and the perfect sensational content: talking to everyday New Yorkers about their fears; interviewing Councilman Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated 5, who sues Trump for lies during the presidential debates; even hiring ex-Congressman George Santos, who faces multiple criminal convictions, to do his bidding as GONZOVISION’s political correspondent on Halloween, days before the election.
After Trump wins, Gonzo reports at the president-elect’s criminal sentencing in New York City, and discovers just how powerful the fear and loathing is, as George faces his fate… but is ultimately freed from prison by President Trump, and shares his Gonzo reporting on Halloween in 2025, teasing the next episode.
