This is FRESH air.
I'm Terry Gross.
Today, Amir Kweslove Thompson is back to talk about the life and legacy of Sly Stone.
I want to thank you for letting me be myself again.
Thank you for letting me be myself again.
Questlove's new documentary called Sly Lives,
AKA the Burden of Black Genius is about the impact of Sly Stone and his band,
Sly and the Family Stone, on music and culture.
Sly got his start as a DJ and record producer in the early 1960s, formed a multiracial band with his brother,
sister and other musicians and went on to record hits like Everyday People, Dance to the Music, Family Affair and Stand.
Their music influenced Prince, George Clinton and Funkadelic, the Ohio Players,
Earth, Wind and Fire and many hip hop artists.
The film also covers the problems that came along with fame and drugs that took Sly down.
It premiered at Sundance last month and starts streaming on Hulu Thursday, February 13th.
Questlove is the co founder of the hip hop band the Roots,
which is the house band for the Tonight show with Jimmy Fallon.
If you feel as if you just heard him on our show,
you did when we talked about his other new documentary focused on Saturday Night Live's music guests
and music sketches over the past 50 years.
That one's called Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 Years of SNL Music.