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SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

Play trailer 0:16 Poster for SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) 2025 1h 52m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 42 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
"SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone. The film captures the band's rise, reign and subsequent fadeout while shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.
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SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

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Critics Consensus

An affectionate celebration of Sly & the Family Stone that's all the more powerful for recognizing its subject's flaws, SLY LIVES! is a sterling sophomore documentary feature from Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson.

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Critics Reviews

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Jordan Hoffman The Daily Beast An overstuffed treasure chest of musical exploration in addition to being (as the full title suggests) a thoughtful social inquiry. Jun 5, 2025 Full Review Christy Lemire FilmWeek (LAist) There's never anything pedantic about this film. [Questlove] wants to share his passion about this particular musical genre and this musician. May 8, 2025 Full Review Tim Cogshell FilmWeek (LAist) This is absolutely extraordinary. May 8, 2025 Full Review Robert W. Butler Butler's Cinema Scene One leaves this fine documentary wondering not only at Sly’s body of work, but at the ripples his career sent through the musical world, paving the way for Janet Jackson, Prince, Parliament/Funkadelic and many others. Rated: B May 2, 2025 Full Review Johnny Loftus Decider The interview style Questlove employs for Sly Lives! Is somewhere between conversational and empathetic, and helps define the film’s tone – it’s informative and thoughtful in equal measure. Mar 27, 2025 Full Review Kathia Woods The Sacramento Observer Sly Stone defied expectations and pushed boundaries. He challenged the norms of Black American identity, navigating both self-perception and societal acceptance. Rated: 7/10 Mar 7, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jim S This is an excellent movie. Well made with absolutely fantastic footage from the 60's and 70's. The movie really conveys the genius of Sly. Highly recommended! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/22/25 Full Review Claire M Having seen Sly and the Family Stone live in Berkeley in the early 1970s when I was a teenager, I knew exactly what Suzanne de Passe was describing with regard to how their music made her feel. Sly Stone's musical genius was second only to Jimi Hendrix in importance in my youth. I'm so thankful Questlove gave us a documentary of such depth and also expressed his unabashed appreciation for Sly being one of the survivors of the notorious music industry. One of my favorite parts was the interviews especially D'Angelo and Andre 3000. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/09/25 Full Review Jonetta A I could hear the magic from the first chord when I heard Sly for the first time and have raved about him since. I can still recall sitting on my front porch when the radio played Hot Fun in the Summertime for the first time. And, I continue to play his greatest hits album today. This was the documentary I’ve waited for always. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/22/25 Full Review Tom F Summer of Soul is a tough act to follow. The Sly Stone story is fascinating, but a tough documentary subject. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/04/25 Full Review Kevin L Questlove has been doing impressive work for a great many years now as a musician and band leader, but now he's showing himself to be a tremendous documentarian as well. "SLY LIVES!" is excellent. All the video clips, photographs, and clippings tell so much about the history of the man and the band he fronted that was such a driving force for the future of popular music. Then there's all the interviews with prominent musical figures, social analysts, Clive Davis, and his peers talking on Stone and the band's art. This leave no doubt about the breadth and significance of the work, and it's lasting impact. I've loved the music of Sly & the Family Stone for decades. It's music of remarkable depth and range. This was some of the very finest dance music of its time, but also pop music with a real electiric charge to it to go along with some lovely ballad type pieces, and the socio-political works that spurred others (Gaye, Wonder, Scott-Heron, Simone) in their own work. I'll leave it to each viewer to make up their own mind about Stone/Stewart's ultimate legacy, but for me he'll first and foremost be a brilliant musical mind and a fierce spirit for joy on stage and the wonders of the recording studio. 4 stars Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/25 Full Review Morris N First of all hip hop owes a lot to this man. Sampled up the wazoo. He is an absolute genius. As a 7 year old I remember my uncle playing Riot all day. This is must see. Shoutout to Quest Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/18/25 Full Review Read all reviews
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

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Movie Info

Synopsis "SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone. The film captures the band's rise, reign and subsequent fadeout while shedding light on the unseen burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.
Director
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Producer
Joseph Patel, Derik Murray
Distributor
Hulu
Production Co
Stardust Films, MRC, ID8 Multimedia, Network Entertainment, Onyx Collective, Sony Music Entertainment, RadicalMedia, Two One Five Entertainment
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 13, 2025
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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