Hip-Hop superstars Questlove and Common are joining forces to help tell the story of one of music's most mysterious geniuses: Sly Stone. The funk godfather is the subject of an upcoming documentary, to be directed by Questlove. Common is serving as an executive producer of the project.
Hailed as a look at a man “who was breaking all the rules at a time when doing so was extremely challenging, even dangerous. The pressure of explosive mainstream pop success and the responsibility of representing Black America forced him to walk the fine line of impossible expectations.”
In the 1960s and 70s, Sly and The Family Stone helped lay the groundwork for funk music and psychedelic soul. Questlove explained in a statement why it was important for him to tell Sly Stone's (born Sylvester Stewart) story.
“It goes beyond saying that Sly’s creative legacy is in my DNA— it’s a Black musician’s blueprint,” he said. “To be given the honor to explore his history and legacy is beyond a dream for me.”
Questlove just took home the top prize at Sundance for his documentary Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) which spotlighted the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.