‘Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)’ Review: Questlove’s Sly Stone Doc Is Dazzling and Definitive

by

Sly Lives! (aka The Weight of Black Genius)” represents an outstanding and conclusive documentary in the realm of funk-pop. This is Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s second film, following his debut, “Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”; however, both films are equally stunning. In “Sly Lives!”, Questlove delves into the life and impact of Sly Stone, scrutinizing it, dissecting it, examining it under a microscope, tearing it apart, and reassembling it like the skilled mixmaster he is. Sly Stone’s first hit was “Dance to the Music”, and with this film, Questlove invites you to dance to the music, to experience its rhythm and ponder its origins, understand its creation process, and listen to how its waves reverberated across the globe. This is a production by a renowned musician and DJ-turned-masterful director.

Packed with insightful interviews and captivating archival material, “Sly Lives!” is a film that delves deeply into its subject matter, offering ample time for reflection. However, the presentation is dynamic and stimulating, engaging both your sight and hearing in a whirlwind of visuals and sounds. This is due to Questlove’s approach, which while grounded in traditional documentary journalism, strives to capture the full scope of Sly Stone’s remarkable journey.

Beginning in the late ’60s, Sly Stone emerged as a trailblazing rock star, shattering musical and visual barriers, reaching unprecedented heights of Black fame. His story is vast and extraordinary, and Questlove is determined to include it all. The film takes us through his meteoric rise, culminating in an unparalleled peak, only for him to experience a dramatic fall from grace.

The film’s subtitle, “The Burden of Black Genius,” delves into the main theme. Sly, once a brilliant artist, succumbed to drug abuse and became a wasteful cocaine addict, seemingly disappearing over time. However, the movie delves deeper into this topic, as discussed by Vernon Reid, André 3000, D’Angelo, and Nile Rogers. They suggest that Sly, who revolutionized music by creating the blueprint for ’70s funk, felt trapped by his role as the Pied Piper of funk crossover. The film implies that his success made him vulnerable in a way a white pop star might not have, leading him to feel compelled to break free from it. Despite not condoning his actions, the movie portrays the internal struggle he endured.

In every aspect, he was a colossal figure: standing tall with the Afro that adorned him like a regal crown, flashing a broad, luminous grin, and dressing in a manner reminiscent of an exotic pasha. As seductive as Mick Jagger, he transformed the rhythm-heavy style pioneered by James Brown, infusing it with pop and rock ‘n’ roll elements, creating something more exhilarating than the sum of its parts. He assembled a band that was racially diverse, encompassing both men and women, and in 1967, this wasn’t just novel, it was revolutionary. When you listened to Sly and the Family Stone, you could sense the strikingly different perspectives of the band members intertwining, as if they were three bands blended into one. Miraculously, it all came together. (Without Sly Stone, there would be no Prince.)

Despite his rough-edged style, Sly Stone embodied a profound joy that he transformed into a philosophy. A video clip shows Sly and the Family Stone performing on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” where Sly even ventured out into the audience, demonstrating the hambone dance – a testament to an entertainer who could turn a light-hearted variety show into a spiritual experience.

1964 marks the beginning of our tale, when Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly, was 21 and already a renowned D.J. in the Bay Area. His captivating charm radiates in every picture, making “Sly Lives!” an energetic, dynamic narrative. The editing, skillfully done by Joshua L. Pearson (also behind “Summer of Soul”), is impressive, yet you can sense Questlove’s blended musical style throughout. Sly’s rise to stardom was fueled by his versatile talent – he mastered every instrument and earned a unique reputation in San Francisco as a groundbreaking producer and composer who could bring out the best in any musician. (Grace Slick, whose first group, the Great Society, recorded the original version of “Somebody to Love” under Sly’s production, offers a testimonial.)

However, let’s talk about Sly: His unique blend of musical styles had such a profound impact that it’s almost shocking now to realize how revolutionary it was back then. At the time, black and white artists were generally seen as operating in separate spheres, but Sly aimed to challenge this status quo. The debut album of Sly and the Family Stone, “A Whole New Thing,” was so far ahead of its time that it didn’t find commercial success (it flopped). To save the band, Sly was advised he needed a hit single. That song became “Dance to the Music,” which was labeled as “psychedelic soul” due to the lack of a better term. Questlove explains how it was constructed on top of a Motown rhythm, with those intense acid horns, a chorus of voices that sounded like a space-bound barbershop quartet singing in harmony yet discordantly unified, and the overall song finding its essence in a pulsating sonic rhythm that remained…luminous. This was a completely new musical alchemy.

Sly and his band elevated their unique magical blend of music to unprecedented heights, encapsulated in the song “I Want to Take You Higher.” Their electrifying performance at Woodstock sent them soaring into the realm of stardom. An intriguing aspect of this performance is that it stood out as a remarkable exception back in 1969 (as Sly was one of the few Black headliners at Woodstock), but viewing it today, you realize he was pioneering the music of tomorrow. With his futuristic glasses and a heavy gold necklace, he symbolized this as the sound of liberation, music that shattered barriers. In the early ’70s, “Stand!” served as the Black Panthers’ ultimate anthem in New York. However, its ecstatic call could have resonated with anyone. Sly was too open-minded to be a zealot.

At this point, the weight of exceptional Black talent starts to show. There’s an illuminating snippet from Sly on “The Dick Cavett Show,” where Cavett’s persistent questioning, though disguised, is a subtle form of racist competition. Despite being under the influence at the time, Sly recognizes this and refuses to succumb to it. He has attained a unique level of fame, which the system exploits and, on some level, distrusts. This doubt fueled by mistrust only intensifies Stone’s self-doubt, which he masks with a pile of cocaine.

The album released during this timeframe, titled “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” didn’t initially do well but is now recognized as a dark-themed funk masterpiece devoid of any sugarcoating. I may not agree with that assessment (it has always seemed like an average Prince album to me), but there are certainly hidden gems within it. The song “Family Affair” stands out as not just good, but also the very first to utilize a drum machine, which was essentially a simple synthesizer with rhythm buttons labeled “samba” and “tango.” Sly Stone showed great ingenuity by playing these crude drum samples slightly off-beat, transforming them into something truly groundbreaking.

Sly’s fall from grace was significant, marked by numerous drug-related arrests and imprisonment. George Clinton, speaking in a documentary, reveals their shared history of addiction. It seems Sly had been largely overlooked, becoming a footnote to the era he contributed so much to. I thought he’d hit rock bottom, reducing him to a mere fragment of a human being, but the film paints a different picture.

Clips from an interview he gave to Maria Shriver in 1982 are shown, where his angelic eyes and captivating presence are evident. He remains candid and compelling. Despite attempts at a musical comeback during the MTV era which failed, he is seen looking healthier than expected at his group’s induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Photographs today show an elderly Sly, weathered but loved by his adult children who, despite the chaos, appear to cherish him deeply.

The film does not feature interviews with Sly himself, which adds to his enigma. This omission serves to preserve his air of mystery.

The film features an intriguing tale by producer/ composer Jimmy Jam, detailing his experience during the recording of “Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814”. While in the midst of this project, he heard “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” playing in a restaurant over the speakers. This song, created in 1969, was revolutionary with its powerful thumping and plucked bass. On the spot, Harris decided to base the title track of the album on a six-second sample from “Thank You”. The documentary’s message is that even after Sly Stone’s creative peak ended (lasting around four to five years), he continued to influence, demonstrating how a once brilliant mind can still have an everlasting impact. Questlove encourages us to examine a fallen genius and appreciate the timelessness of their work.

Read More

2025-01-24 09:49