Hulu has released a trailer for its upcoming Sly Stone documentary, titled Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).
The two-minute promo, available below, comes ahead of the movie’s release via the streaming service on Feb. 13.
With the exception of archive footage, Stone himself doesn’t appear in the movie, which includes new interviews with the musician’s children and some former bandmates, plus artists including Nile Rodgers, George Clinton, Chaka Khan, Vernon Reid and André 3000.
READ MORE: How Sly and the Family Stone Defined an Era With ‘Stand’
“From Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, the Oscar-Winning Director of Summer of Soul, i examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone,” a statement read.
“This film captures the rise, reign and subsequent fadeout of one of pop music’s most influential artists, but also shines a light on how Black artists in America navigate the unseen burden that comes with their success.
Sly Stone’s Self-Destructive Behavior Left Him Unable to Work
“Drawing from his own personal experience and relationships, Questlove tells an empathetic human story about the cost of genius, reframing the way we all engage with pop culture.”
The movie doesn’t avoid Stone’s self-destructive behavior at the height of his career, which has left him unable to work in recent years. “I have trouble with my lungs, trouble with my voice, trouble with my hearing and trouble with the rest of my body too,” he admitted in 2019, when he was 80 years old.
He added that his issues “haven’t stopped me from hearing music, but they have stopped me from making it,” noting: “I can hear music in my mind.”
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Trailer
Sly and the Family Stone Albums Ranked
They leveraged radio-friendly, era-equipped soul-pop music at the turn of the ’70s to become one of the most influential groups from the period.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
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