The trailer for the upcoming documentary on Sly Stone has just been released, featuring archival footage of the legendary performer.
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) also features interviews with musicians like Chaka Khan, OutKast’s André 3000, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, Jimmy Jam, George Clinton, Q-Tip and more.
Sly Stone was a member of the barrier-breaking Sly & The Family Stone and a founding father of the psychedelic soul movement who is often remembered for his vices and the drug use that eventually led to the downfall of his career.
In a feature story for Vibe, director Questlove explains that with the film, he set out to discover why Sly had turned to drugs.
“What I wanted to know is, and this is what’s addressed in the film, what’s happening in your life that makes drugs (the outlet)? Because the thing is, Black people have not been taught to have emotions,” he said. “Because we have zero touch with our emotions, we know that happiness feels good, and then when something dark happens, we don’t know what to do, right? What gets me happy? This drink, this tattoo, this sexual release, (you’re a) shopaholic … we have so many vices that we go to.”
“But it was important for me to kill the notion of just the drug addict to be the drug addict,” he adds. “Just doing drugs to be doing the drugs? Why? What does (the artist) feel inside? These are questions we don’t ask ourselves.”
Questlove notes the story isn’t only about Sly but “literally every artist I’ve ever been associated with — and myself. When you have everything you’ve ever wanted, what makes you just want to ruin it in a snap?”
SLY LIVES! is set to make its debut Feb. 13 on Hulu.
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