For decades, the music ofAhmir “Questlove” Thompsonand his band,The Roots, has defied the conventions of hip-hop and soul by recording songs that echo a long-lost time. As amusic documentaryfilmmaker, Questlove brought modern audiences a front-row seat to the legendary artists in their prime with the Oscar-winningSummer of Soul. While his debut film celebrated a snapshot in time with the 1969Harlem Cultural Festival, his latest effort,Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius),serves as both a tribute and a lesson on life.
The recent passing of soul music starSly Stoneat age 82 was a sad reminder of how we need to treasure our groundbreaking icons while they’re still with us. Fortunately,Questlove was able to perfectly capture the music legend’s innovations and influence through his documentary.He goes far beyond the highlights of how Sly and the Family Stone produced some of the biggest hits of their career, including “Dance to the Music” and “Everyday People.” It’s a revealing look athow a Black artist bucking the system struck lightning during a turbulent timebetween the end of theCivil Rights Movementof the ‘60s and the rise of the Black Power Movement in the ‘70s.
Questlove Examines Sly Stone’s Musical Genius in ‘Sly Lives!’
Sly Lives!is brought to life through various archival clips of Sly and the Family Stone performances, from rare footage of the group’s jam sessions at home to their high-profile appearances atWoodstockandThe Ed Sullivan Show. Surviving members of the group, including legendary bassistLarry Graham,sit down to give their perspectives, while those long gone, like trumpet playerCynthia Robinson, recall the group’s experiences through archival interviews. Though Sly himself was still living at the time Questlove made the documentary, the ever-reclusive lead singer tells his side of the story primarily in soundbites.
Beyond Sly and the Family Stone as individuals,Questlove deep dives into the group’s biggest hits. During the ‘60s, Sly’s music did not play it safe like the soft ballads ofMotown. Instead, the music walks a fine line between embracing individuality through Sly’s overall presentation as a man and the united bond of a mixed-race band that inspired the likes ofPrince and the Revolution,Funkadelic,Ohio Players,The Black Eyed Peas, and more. Much of this is dissected in interviews with music’s biggest names, includingNile RodgersofChic,Chaka Khan,André 3000, and producersJimmy JamandTerry Lewis, among others. The latter two reveal how they sampled the funky guitar riff of “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” as a backing beat toJanet Jackson’s 1989 smash “Rhythm Nation."
While Questlove emphasizes the musical contributions of Sly Stone and his immediate infection on the likes of jazz iconMiles Davisto move into fusion sounds, the documentary’s subtitle,The Burden of Black Genius,is there for a reason.Virtually every interviewee sitting down with the filmmaker to share their love for Sly is asked,“Do you believe in Black genius?”which many of them struggle to answer. It’s a fascinating insight given how each of these artists has impacted lives worldwide as they were drawn to Sly’s uncanny sounds. It makes the latter half of the documentary all the more sobering and ironic.
‘Sly Lives!’ Gives a Sobering Look at Sly Stone’s Professional Downfall
If the first half ofSly Lives!celebrates the artist’s contributions, the second half dives into the tragic downfall.Questlove does not try to sensationalize the kind of self-sabotage that many gifted artists are prone to encounter. As the struggle for equality in America begins to fade into the background, Questlove examines Sly’s struggles to be more relevant and commercial. The transition proves awkward, as evidenced by a rare interview onThe Dick Cavett Showwhere the famed host plays subtle mind games with the artist. Sly was able to hold on to his infectious personality. Yet,Questlove signals the artist’s uncomfortable behavior and minimal responses to Cavett’s questionsas the start of the professional downfall.
The most powerful insights inSly Lives!do not only come from band members and famous artists. The latter part of the documentary, whereSly’s children give insights into their father’sdependency on drugs, proves to be the most heartbreaking. Even the uncomfortable story of how Sly’s daughter Phunne snorts broken chalk to emulate her father punctuates how far gone he was by the ‘80s. But the real irony hits as Questlove juxtaposes the musical reemergence of Sly through hip-hop sampling in hit songs likeLL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out” while the industry shuts the door on Sly himself.Sly Lives!is a stark reminder of how the industry can use any artist’s talent for commercial gainuntil their energy is fully depleted.
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) is a biographical film examining the life and career of influential musician Sly Stone.
