“Sly Lives!, AKA The Burden Of Black Genius”

Questlove Eagerly Announces That “Sly Lives!,” As He Welcomes His Latest Ode to Black Artistry in Soon-to-be-Released Documentary

“Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius),” the latest documentary from multifaceted musician/filmmaker/actor/etc., Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, has been breaking new ground in the film festival circuit in advance of its release to Hulu tomorrow.

Debuting just under a month ago at the recent Sundance Film Festival, “Sly Lives!” tracks the life, career and legacy of the legendary funk/soul band Sly and the Family Stone, with a particular focus on the musical genius and tormented artistry of frontrunner Sly Stone. The band, which remained active from 1966 to 1983, arguably hit its peak in popularity with their performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, but thanks to Questlove’s latest directorial feat their legacy is now burning brighter than ever before.

“Sly Lives!” comes at the heels of the success of Questlove’s 2021 Academy Award-winning debut music documentary, “Summer of Soul,” which featured never-before-seen footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and explored the sweeping impact it had on the music world. In his newest documentary, Questlove continues this tradition of forgotten footage by introducing rare videotapes of spirited performances and eye-opening interviews involving the band and its leading man.

The film also touches on the significance of the band’s multi-racial and multi-gender cast, which was relatively unheard of in the 1960s, and highlights their unwavering dedication to musical excellence despite various challenges and setbacks. With a genre-defying sound often dubbed ‘psychedelic soul,’ the band revolutionized funk and soul and pop and music in general, to the point where many of the biggest artists to follow (Prince, Kendrick Lamar and Andre 3000, to name a few) have praised Sly for his groundbreaking techniques and creativity, recognizing his mastery of the craft and his role as a musical pioneer of his generation. Most music artists of today have been influenced by Sly in some way, and many would not exist if not for the innovation of Sly and the Family Stone.

Per its title, “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” also aims to tackle the ways in which brilliance can be burdensome, especially in a time and space that may not understand or accept the magnitude of said brilliance. The film explores how the genius of Sly Stone (born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas in 1943) was equally marked by turmoil through his personal struggles with mental health, addiction and legal troubles. His story is one of triumph and frustration, of uncertainty and strength in the face of a world unable or unwilling to recognize the artistry of a once-in-a-generation talent – but despite his challenges, “Sly Lives!” showcases the steady resilience and revolutionary feats of Sly Stone and the wide-reaching impact he has had, and undoubtedly continues to have, on the music industry and the culture as a whole.

“Sly Lives!” will be available on Hulu February 13th.