The Hunger Strike

BET (Black Entertainment Television), founded by Robert L. Johnson in 1980, was acquired by Viacom in 2001 and had long been criticised for its programming — particularly music videos that reinforced stereotypes. Huey's boycott is a direct satirical attack on the network's content, and the hunger strike as protest tactic echoes real-world activist strategies such as Mahatma Gandhi's and Cesar Chavez's hunger strikes. The episode was reportedly the subject of legal threats from BET executives, which may explain why it and "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show" did not air during the original US broadcast of Season 2.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode summary: "Huey goes on a hunger strike in a boycott of BET"; production note: "there were rumors that BET executives were threatening to sue")

Reverend Rollo Goodlove enters as a high-profile civil rights figure who takes up Huey's cause, but the episode reveals his self-interested motives. The character satirises the tradition of celebrity activism — figures who attach themselves to a cause for visibility rather than conviction. The episode flashes back to explain Goodlove's origin, showing how the character built his public persona through opportunistic activism.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode summary: "receives high-profile support from Reverend Rollo Goodlove, whose origin is explained in this episode")

CeeLo Green, best known as the frontman of Gnarls Barkley (whose single "Crazy" topped charts worldwide in 2006) and as a member of the Atlanta hip-hop collective Goodie Mob, voices the Reverend. Casting a prominent R&B and soul musician as a civil rights figure adds a layer of irony — CeeLo's own public persona as a larger-than-life entertainer mirrors the Reverend's showmanship.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode guest stars: CeeLo Green as Rollo Goodlove)

Tavis Smiley, the American talk show host, author, and political commentator — known for his PBS talk show Tavis Smiley and his political commentary on NPR and as a regular correspondent on Tom Joyner Morning Show — appears as himself. His cameo follows the series' pattern of placing real public figures into the fictional world of Woodcrest to comment on or participate in the satire.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode guest stars: Tavis Smiley as himself)

Donald Faison, best known for his role as Dr. Christopher Turk on the medical comedy Scrubs (2001–2010), voices Wedgie Rudlin. Faison had previously guest-starred in "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show" (Season 2, Episode 15) as the same character. His casting continues the show's practice of using live-action comedic actors for voice work in the animation's supporting cast.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode guest stars: Donald Faison as Wedgie Rudlin)

"The Hunger Strike" and "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show" were the only two episodes from Season 2 that did not air in the United States during the original 2007–2008 broadcast run. Rumours persisted that BET executives threatened legal action over the critical depiction of the network. A Cartoon Network representative denied the rumours, but the episodes nevertheless premiered on the Canadian network Teletoon on March 16 and March 23, 2008, respectively, before being released on DVD in the US on June 10, 2008. Both episodes finally aired on Adult Swim on May 29, 2020 — 12 years after the season ended.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (production note: "there were rumors that BET executives were threatening to sue if the episode was shown"; air dates: Teletoon, DVD, and Adult Swim)

Production code 206 places this episode in the production cycle earlier than its broadcast appearances might suggest. Dan Fausett, who directed multiple Season 2 episodes including "The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2," directs. Aaron McGruder, the series creator, wrote the story, with Rodney Barnes handling the screenplay. The delayed broadcast of this episode means it was seen by most US audiences more than a decade after it was produced.

Source: The Boondocks season 2 — Wikipedia (episode list credits: directed by Dan Fausett, story by Aaron McGruder, screenplay by Rodney Barnes; prod code 206)